For the Love Of Blood
by GuiltyPleasuresAndDeadlySins
Summary: What happens when a team from the FBI turns up wanting to talk to Dinozzo? Why do they need to talk to him? And why has he been looking like he's not slept in a month recently? rated for language, full summary inside, pls r
1. Prologue

DISCLAIMER: Would I be writing here if I owned it? Much to my dismay I do not...ah well...

SUMMARY: AU, Kate's still here, Morrow never left, Kelly's still alive and Ari never happened. What happens when a team from the FBI turns up wanting to talk to Dinozzo? Why do they need to talk to him? And why has he been looking like he's not slept in a month recently? (Rated for language)

Lucia Sorrento felt as though her lungs were constricting. She knew she couldn't go on fighting. Her ribs were broken, and a cut on her arm was bleeding. She'd managed to get a moments respite by scrambling into her own room and locking the door. She grabbed a notepad and pen and scribbled down a quick note.

_Contact Tony Dinozzo at NCIS, he'll know what to do. Look after him. Lucia._

She put it on top of her chest of draws and trapped it under a jewellery box. When the door burst open, she was on the other side of the room.

"You'll be joining your brother very soon you bitch," the man snarled.

She looked at him defiantly. "You won't get to them, I won't let you."

"My dear, quite the contrary, I have already found Marissa, and I have her."

"You…you…you bastard."

Her father smirked. "I think we'll have to have a long discussion about respect young lady." He lunged and Lucia closed her eyes as her back slammed into the wall. Soon blessed unconsciousness claimed her.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: In the prologue

Summary: Also in prologue, but Kelly (Gibbs's daughter) is still alive, and the way i'm working it, about 18. She will be involved later in the story, the chapters do get longer, except ones involving Lucia, which are shorter and just flashes really. Thank you for all the reviews, keep 'em coming!!!

Three sets of eyes tracked the movement of five official looking personnel moving towards the Director's office. Tony watched them closely, looking for one face, he didn't find it. Kate was curious.

"Who are they?" she asked.

"I don't know Katie," Tony switched his green eyes back to her. "I'm not psychic, Probie?"

"Not that I know of," McGee bantered, used to Tony's way of doing that now.

Gibbs came in, ever present cup of coffee in hand. "What's going on?"

Before any of his team, the Director, Tom Morrow, came out. "Dinozzo, my office, now."

"Yes sir," Tony stood up and started to move, well aware of Gibbs moving to join him.

"Not you Gibbs," Morrow's voice stopped Gibbs in his tracks, "just Dinozzo."

"I'm his boss," Gibbs objected.

"And I'm yours."

By this time, Tony was at the top of the stairs and the Director ushered him into the office. Gibbs looked at the other two who quickly busied themselves. Their boss was fuming. Tony had been called into that office alone, there had to be a big reason.

Gibbs was furious. Tony was _his _agent. The Director had no right to demand to see Tony alone like that. It had something to do with the FBI agents who'd come in, that was all Gibbs knew. Dinozzo could look after himself, but something was worrying Gibbs about the way he'd been acting. He looked exhausted and his last report had been nearly illegible. Not that you could normally read Tony's handwriting. Lord that boy was like a son to him. He knew Tony had trouble trying to take what people said at face value. It was what made him such a good investigator. He always looked deeper than anyone else. Right now, whatever was going on was making him unstable. Gibbs was worried, the last time he'd seen Tony look like that was right after…

_What is going on?_


	3. Chapter 2

All things as before, Kelly doesn't enter for a little while yet, and yes, I am evil enough to take you away from the NCIS offices to visit the two girls.

I'll probably swap to them every second chapter for now, it may get more spaced out. So her it is...

* * *

"Luce?" a voice whispered in the darkened room as Lucia finally regained consciousness.

"Mari?" Lucia asked groggily. She could feel blood on her face and arms. She must have looked like she'd gone through seven rounds with a lion.

"What's going on Luce?" Marissa's voice was terrified. Lucia forced herself to her knees and across to her. She put her arms around the younger woman, pulling her into a protective hug, comforting her, soothing her. Lucia was however mindful of any injuries the younger woman may have sustained.

"Everything's alright Mari, I'm here now, he won't hurt you, I'll protect you."

That was what Lucia was, she was the protector of her family. Of her little brother and Marissa. She wouldn't fail them, she couldn't. She already failed her twin. She couldn't fail again. No, to let their father hurt Tony and Marissa, that would be her ultimate hell. She wished she could see where she was, not that she needed to, she had several ideas. None of them were good.

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Will get back to the others soon...eg, next chapter, thanks again for the reviews, and I hope you continue to enjoy this story...


	4. Chapter 3

Same applies as before. All characters currently alive, just in varying degrees of angst...

Thank you for all the reviews I keep going.

Special Agent Meg: Thank you!!! Keep reviewing, glad to see that you like Luce!

* * *

In the Director's office, Tony's nagging sensation of worry had turned into a fear far too real for his liking. When he hadn't seen one face with these five people he'd started become seriously scared. He met Special Agent James Forster's eyes and then turned his glance to one of his best friends Special Agent Sophia Taylor. He searched the other three faces again, hoping he was mistaken. No-one had spoken yet.

"Oh dear lord…" Tony sat down heavily. "What the hell happened?"

"We lost contact with Special Agent Lucia Sorrento about two days ago," James recited the facts. "We went to check out the apartment she'd been using and found blood, which forensics confirmed was hers, and a note. It tells us to find you, that you'll know what to do…" he trailed off.

"And?"

"To look after you."

Tony looked at Sophia who looked pained. "What aren't you telling me?"

"The op was to bring down the Dinozzo Empires," she replied guiltily.

"What?!" Tony rocketed out of his chairs and slammed James into a nearby wall. "You idiot! You know we can't cover those ops!"

"Dinozzo!" Tom snapped at the Italian from behind his desk. "You're out of line."

"All due respect sir, but I'm not, my sister is missing thanks to their…" Tony faltered as his face went sheet white. "Shit!" He grabbed his phone and pressed speed dial three. The phone just rang and reached an answering machine.

"_Hi, you've reached Marissa, I can't get to my phone right now, so please leave a message after the tone…"_

"Hey Mari, its Tony, call me when you get this."

Then he dialled another number.

"_Samson," _a weary voice answered.

"Are you near a computer?" Tony demanded.

"_What's up Tone? And yes, I am."_

"I want you to check if a Marissa Sorrento has been reported missing in the past week or so."

"_Sure thing."_

Tony could hear the sound of keys being tapped.

"_Yes Tony, about two days ago, her boyfriend reported it."_

"Thanks, I'll call you sometime."

With that he hung up and sat down again. "Not her too…"

"Mari's missing?" Sophia asked stunned. "Oh my…" her hands flew to her mouth.

"That's what I thought…James, we need to have NCIS involved with this."

"I understand, that's why we're here. Sophia, Marko, stay here and work with the NCIS team, brief them, I'm going back to HQ to see what we've found out."

"Keep me informed," Tony ordered. Tom Morrow nodded his agreement.

"If this is joint we need to be kept up-to-date," he told the three departing FBI agents.

"We have Sophia and Marko's numbers," James nodded. "Even Tony's. We'll be in touch, stay safe Tony, we don't know how she'll react if you don't."

"I do," Tony gave James a sad smile as he left.

"You have some explaining to do Tony," Tom told the younger man. "There is no mention of a sister in your personnel file."

"I know, we agreed a long time ago that if no-one knew we were related it would be a lot simpler. And its two sisters actually, Mari is also my sister. We also had a brother, but he died, a long time ago. It didn't seem important, and Luce had changed her and Mari's name so we decided to leave it out for ease."

"And why now?"

"If she was involved in Dinozzo Empires it put all three of us in danger. She would try to defend us, but if he's got Mari…he could easily get me, no building is completely secure."

Tom Morrow nodded slightly. "I suggest that you three go and inform Gibbs and the rest of your team what's going on. Tony, I want you either here of with at least two other people at all times."

"Yes sir. Thank you sir."

Tony, Sophia and Marko left the office. Once out of it they greeted each other properly. Tony kissed Sophia's forehead, and pulled Marko into a quick one armed hug. Along with himself and Marissa, these were two of Lucia's best friends. They walked down into the bullpen together. Gibbs rounded on Tony the second he reached his desk.

"What the hell was all that about?" he demanded.

"SHUT UP GIBBS!!" Tony roared. "I am not in the mood for this, I've just found out that my sisters are missing and that one of them was working undercover in the Dinozzo Empire."

"Mari and Luce are missing?" Gibbs's voice was suddenly a whisper.

"_Dinozzo _Empires?" Kate demanded. "You come from money?"

Tony rounded on her, he was not in a good mood. "I was disowned years ago, me and my sisters."

Kate held up her hands in a gesture of peace. Tony took a deep breath.

"The two people with me are Special Agent Sophia Taylor and Special Agent Marko Mackenzie. Get Abs and Ducky. There are things you need to know."

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And yes, I will leave that there, because I like doing that. 


	5. Chapter 4

As ever, thank you for the reviews, all of the stuff (Disclaimer, Summary etc) are in the Prologue/First Chapter.

blackphantom: Sorry you didn't like Tony yelling at Gibbs, I thought that he'd just found out his sisters were missing, probably kidnapped by his 'father' and now Gibbs is getting at him, that's a lot of stress for one man so I thought I'd have him snapping back.

And here's the next chapter for all of you...

* * *

Lucia felt Marissa's breathing even out. She cradled the sleeping girl in her arms. Marissa…the youngest of them. Nearly fifteen years younger than herself, and just under twelve years younger than Tony. Tears slid over Lucia face. Her baby… her little girl…why had she been so stupid? What made her think he wouldn't come after them if she went back in? Why had she caved in? She closed her eyes, hugging Marissa closer. 

The eighteen year old didn't know. Didn't know the truth of who she was. And Lucia was not going to tell her unless she had to. She hoped that Tony would find them. She hoped that he'd tell Jay. Going all lone ranger on her wouldn't help. Not her, not his little sister. Not anyone. Lucia closed her eyes and saw another boy. A fifteen year old. His dark hair was covering one of his ever-changing emerald eyes. Eyes identical to her own.

"Why Rico?" she asked quietly. "Why did you leave me? How did I fail you? Where did I go wrong?" She bowed her head.

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I promise that fairly soon I'll stop doing chapters this short!!! Please review!!!! (Oh btw, altered this chap slightly. Luce nicknamed Gibbs 'Jay' so I thought I'd use that in her bits instead of 'Gibbs' so, yeah...sorry again.) 


	6. Chapter 5

Hello!! Sorry it took me so long to update, just started my Higher year and well...I'm panicking so...sorry again, now here's the next chapter and a serious question. Where should I go next? Back to Mari and Luce? Or a flashback? What would you prefer, both are written, just can't decide the order, ideas please...

* * *

The group sat and listened as Tony, Marko and Sophia explained what was going on. Gibbs sat and listened silently, Abby was wringing her hands, Ducky had a frown on his face and the others weren't entirely sure what to make of it. Abby was crying by the end. Tony walked over to her and pulled her into a tight hug.

"How are you dealing with this so well Tone?" she demanded.

"Because I know that Lucia wouldn't want me to get furious," he replied. "Besides, I've already slammed one person into a wall today, yelled at Gibbs and snapped at Katie, what more do you want me to do?"

"Well don't punch a wall is my best suggestion."

"Cheer up Abs, we'll find them. Gibbs, do me a favour, don't tell her yet?"

"I won't Tony," Gibbs nodded. "She'll just start freaking out."

"Exactly, we'll tell her when we know more."

"It'll work out better."

"And she won't have to worry about Mari and Luce for as long."

"It works out best for all involved," Gibbs shrugged. Tony smiled, but it was more forced than usual. Kate and McGee looked on.

"What can we do?" McGee asked.

"Look for anything related to Anthony Dinozzo Senior," Tony shrugged. "Shouldn't be too hard, he's a public figure after all."

"You seem awfully cheery," Kate noted.

"Katie, just leave it. Sophia, what did Luce get for you?"

"That's the beauty of email Tony," Sophia said sitting down and logging onto his computer. "You need to change your password."

"I know, Luce told me that last time she visited."

"What did you say?"

"And then how would you two be able to hack into my email log when you needed to contact each other incognito?"

"But…"

"Don't say it!"

"It is fairly obvious."

"I know, I will change it, and then you will have to find out the new one. I swear, I'm going to use some long completely out of your reach Italian or Spanish word."

"No need to get snappy with me Tone," Sophia shrugged as she pressed a few keys and had the information up on the main screen. "This suggests that the Dinozzo family, not including Tone, Luce or Mari is heavily involved in drugs and gun running. How Luce managed to get this is anyone's guess, but what can I say? She's good at what she does. Alright. Now, the more important thing to note on this, is that the main name in all these documents is Anthony Dinozzo Senior. Marko?"

"Alright," the other FBI agent rubbed his hands together. "We know that the Dinozzo family has been dealing in these things for a while, they own several large businesses and while they are affiliated, none of them have Dinozzo connected to them. They appear independent. We know they're not. One of them is a secondary shipping company that we believe the Dinozzo's use for the running. Nothing has been properly proved though."

"Which is why Luce was trying to get close to their head honchos."

"And why we currently need to find her as quick as possible," Tony interjected. "If she's been kidnapped it's either by Dinozzo Senior, or by one of his henchmen."

"Henchmen?" Kate couldn't help it.

"Oh yes Kate. Henchmen, he's got a whole realm of people just ready to do his bidding, and he'll use them. Oh, he'll try to kill anyone who gets close enough to take him down. The problem is, if that happens, anyone who took him down, they'll get killed by whoever takes his place. The real danger to Luce and Mari is that just because they're his kids, won't stop him killing them. Well, not Luce, Mari maybe…I don't know. Luce went too far by his standards, Mari, I couldn't say."

Tony's eyes were unreadable. Gibbs watched him. He knew there was something in the past that Lucia and Tony hadn't told him. The catalyst for them turning up on his doorstep with three year old Marissa fifteen years ago. They hadn't told him, wouldn't tell him, what it was. Right now though, that wasn't what mattered. What mattered was that Marissa and Lucia were missing and that they were in a very real danger. A danger that Tony seemed to fear more than something threatening his own life.

"Oh and by the way everyone," the Director interrupted from where he'd been listening above them. "I want you all to see Tony safe during this, he has to have two people with him at all times, and I don't want him going back to his apartment."

"Understood sir," Gibbs nodded. "We wouldn't be leaving him alone at a time like this anyway."

Morrow nodded and left them to continue. They were silent for a while before Tony spoke.

"I don't think I need to warn you that my father can be very unpleasant," he winced as the words slipped off his tongue. He hadn't called Dinozzo Senior that in years. "I mean, he's already captured my sisters, and one of them is an eighteen year old."

Kate and McGee stared. The others knew how old Marissa was, they didn't.

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And that's all folks...I'll try and update ASAP, but please, any preferences to where we go next (flashback/Mari&Luce) please let me know!! 


	7. Chapter 6

This is the flashback scene, and a little present day scene which will be continued in a couple of chapters time…Have fun…hehehe

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(Fifteen Years Ago)

Gibbs was a little startled when his doorbell went at nearly midnight. He went and opened it. Three people he recognized stood their. Lucia, Tony and Marissa had all been at the park a quite few times when he took his daughter Kelly to it. As it was, they looked exhausted, Lucia, holding the tiny slumbering three year old Marissa on her hip, her other hand cradling the little girl's head. Tony had a battered backpack slung over one shoulder, his other arm around his stomach.

"I'm sorry for the time sir," Lucia apologized, "but we had no where else to go and I remembered you saying that if we ever needed anything…"

"Come in," Gibbs stepped aside and let the three kids into the house. He saw the way Lucia and Tony moved. Both moved stiffly, he would recognize the signs anywhere, even if the bruising on both their faces and arms proved it. "What happened to you?" he asked softly as Lucia kept Marissa from waking.

"Nothing important," she replied in her faintly accented voice. "We just got into a fight."

Gibbs's missed Tony's eyebrows shooting up at her and the look she gave him in return as he led them into the sitting room. He saw the way Lucia made sure that Marissa was comfortable against her shoulder as they settled into the seats he offered. Her eyes were rested on the tiny child's face with a soft smile on her features. Tony looked faintly nervous, he obviously still didn't trust Gibbs.

"You kids need anything to eat or drink?"

"Erm, Tony?" Lucia looked at her little brother who shook his head. "No thanks."

Tony yawned widely. Lucia looked at him, concern visible on her otherwise emotionless face.

"I think the spare room's made up," Gibbs said on instinct. "Why don't you three get a good nights sleep?"

"I need to talk to you," Lucia said softly, "but these two could do with the sleep. Tony?"

"Can't argue there," Tony replied.

"I'll show you where it is," Gibbs said. Lucia gave Tony Marissa and the teenager followed Gibbs to the spare room. He smiled gratefully.

"Thank you sir," he nodded.

"Not a problem kid."

With that Gibbs returned to the sitting room. Lucia sat on the edge of the chair she was on. Head in her hands, next to her knees. She didn't look up when he entered, but from the way her shoulders tensed ever so slightly – almost imperceptibly – she'd heard him. He sat down but didn't speak.

"We'll be out of your hair soon enough," she said finally, a defeated tone in her voice. "I'll find work somewhere, I don't know, I don't know what I'll do about Tone and Mari…I can't take them with me…"

"I'll look after them," Gibbs told her, surprising even himself as his gut reaction took over. "You can stay here too."

"I can't do that, I need to work, to support them."

"You can, you can help me look after them and Kelly, I'm sure you can find a job, go through college. It'll work out."

"You don't understand, I can't stay here, I've got to get money…"

"Lucia, I have enough, if you have to work, look after Kelly, I'll even pay you. You can stay here until you've got through college and can afford a decent home."

"I…I…" Lucia stammered, unable to explain why she felt the need to keep moving. She'd miss Marissa and Tony, more than her own life she was willing to bet. But she couldn't stay, she just couldn't. It was too close, just too close to…She cut that line of thought off at the pass. She dropped her head back into her hands. The position was comfortable and it stopped her having to look at him.

"Kid, Tony and Marissa need a familiar face right now, they aren't going to deal well with you leaving. Can I ask why you're here?"

"That doesn't matter, we left. That's all, it just got too out of hand."

Lucia was nervous, Gibbs could see it, the way she shifted when she answered. She was avoiding the question, not wanting to answer it.

"I can't ask you to jeopardize your career by letting us stay," she was saying. Gibbs interrupted.

"You need a place to stay, if anyone asks, Tony looks about your age, I'll say that Marissa's your daughter if anyone asked."

Lucia looked at him again, eyes filled with something. Something that worried Gibbs, a look that suggested this was the first time anyone had done anything for her without a thought for themselves. She looked down again.

"If…if you're sure," she whispered.

"I'm sure," Gibbs told her. He'd come to know her in the past year he'd seen her in the park. She was a capable caretaker of children, looking out for Marissa and making sure that Tony didn't do anything stupid. In some ways he felt a paternal sort of pride and love for her. She was brave and gentle, and looked after the two younger kids without a care for herself. Her compassion had surprised him when another of the children in the park had fallen and grazed his knee without a parent in sight. She'd ordered Tony to keep an eye on Marissa and to not do anything stupid, before crossing to the kid and making sure he was alright before asking where his parents were before going to find them and returning to her own siblings. She had some fantastic traits, and no-one seemed to notice it apart from her brother who obviously worshipped the very ground she walked on.

A cry from upstairs was heard. It wasn't Kelly, although the three year old would no doubt wake up due to it though. Lucia's eyes widened.

"I better go wake my brother up before he yells the house down," she smiled apologetically, a sad smile, before leaving the room to do just that. Gibbs went to check on Kelly.

(Present)

Kelly Shannon Gibbs was startled by the sound of the phone ringing. She'd been busy studying for her finals and hadn't expected the sudden noise. She got up to answer it.

"Hello?" she questioned into the receiver.

"Ms Gibbs?" a soft voice on the other end inquired.

"Yes," she said uncertainly, the voice scared her for some reason, there was something about the accent…

"When was the last time you spoke to Lucia or Marissa?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Hasn't your father told you yet?" the voice was taunting her, it was malicious.

"Told me what?" Apprehension filled Kelly suddenly, her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

"They're missing, and he's looking for them. And he didn't tell you, how awful of him."

With a cold, heartless, and what could only be described as evil cackle, the phone hung up. For a few minutes Kelly just stood there holding the phone as it sang a dialling tone at her. She found there were tears streaming down her face. She grabbed her car keys – the car had been a joint eighteenth gift from Tony, Lucia and her father, Marissa had gotten a car too, somehow they'd succeeded in paying for both. She didn't know what she was going to say, all she knew was that she was going to find her father and yell at him for a while. How could he betray her like that? How could he not tell her? Why hadn't he told her?

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Bit of a sharp ending, this will be resolved, and Kelly will feature in future chapters…Please R&R!!! 


	8. Chapter 7

Back to Lucia and Mari. Erm…this is quite short, these chapters will get longer eventually. It could take a little while though…

Lucia heard the footsteps coming closer before the door opened. Years of working undercover in difficult situations had made her train her senses. And years of living in a household where as one of the eldest she felt responsible for the younger members of the family. She didn't flinch when the door opened. She did wince when a light was switched on nearly blinding her. She covered the still sleeping Marissa's eyes to stop her waking. She looked up at the man who'd made her life a living hell.

"Welcome to hell?" she asked sarcastically. "Really, you could've made a better entrance, less noise on the approach, more noise on the door, the surprise with the light was good though."

The slap she received wasn't entirely unexpected. "I see that your sharp tongue hasn't lessened in fifteen years."

"You thought it would? More fool you. What do you want?"

"What do you think I want? To make you suffer. To make you pay."

"Pay for what? We never did anything wrong."

"You didn't?" one elegant eyebrow lifted. "That's your way of seeing it isn't it?"

"We were children," Lucia retorted. "We didn't know right from wrong, you taught us the hard way."

The second slap was more expected. "Hold your tongue, and be more respectful, I am still your father."

"You aren't my father, you never showed any inclination to be before, what's changed? We share the same DNA, but that's it, as you've shown me before. Eighteen years ago to be precise."

"Is that really how you feel? Such a shame."

"Well, I'm not up to playing happy families with you, and I doubt Mari is either, she doesn't even know you. I won't let you hurt her."

"Maybe you won't have a choice."

"How can you be so cruel? She's your daughter too!"

"You're my daughter as well."

"Bastard," Lucia closed her eyes to hold back tears. "You bastard."

"What did we say about that Lucia?"

"You said you needed to teach me respect, I say I give it to those who deserve it!"

Her father shook his head sadly. "I wish it wasn't so, I'll be back later."

With that, he left, leaving Lucia to cry silently in the darkness, as Mari slept on oblivious. That girl could sleep through Armageddon Lucia thought fondly amidst her anguish.

Hope you enjoyed. Please review!! I love those things!!


	9. Chapter 8

Greetings! I am back from my enforced absence from this story. Sorry it took me so long to update, I just never seemed to have time when on computer, or never remembered. Because of this, I think I'll give you a couple of chaps. This is chapter 8, hope you're still enjoying, and once again sorry. Bogged down by exam study and school work (ugh, why am I staying on for 6th year...oh yeah, that's right, I want decent grades...ugh!!) Anyway, finally got round to remembering to post, so here you go:

* * *

Gibbs found an angry, red-headed eighteen year old young woman sitting in his chair when he got back to it from talking to a friend of Marissa's from her place of work

Gibbs found an angry, red-headed eighteen year old young woman sitting in his chair when he got back to it from talking to a friend of Marissa's from her place of work.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me?" she yelled at him. Tony chose that moment to walk into the bullpen and instantly the girl's demeanour changed. She leapt up and hugged him. "You alright Tone?"

"I'll be better once we get them back Kell," Tony replied, correctly guessing what his boss's daughter was asking him. "Why you here anyway?"

"I'm trying to figure out dad's reason for not telling me."

Of course, if Kelly was going to call Gibbs dad, it was going to be as Kate and McGee walked back into the bullpen. They both froze in shock. Gibbs gave Kelly a placating look.

"I didn't want to worry you sweetie," he said. "I mean you've got your finals…"

"Yes, but I think it's more worrying to get a phone call asking me when the last time I heard from them was! Don't you agree Tony?"

"I do Kell, but in his defence I asked him not to, I agree with his reasoning, and I wanted something to tell you before we did tell you."

"You did it for my own good?" Kelly rounded on Tony. "Is that the drill?"

"Not really, more like I did it for your classmates own good, I know what you can be like, remember Kell?"

"Tone…"

"Kelly, it makes sense, why don't you go and talk to Abs? I'm sure she can clear things up better than I can."

Kelly responded by giving him a dirty look and stalking off towards the lab muttering under her breath. Kate and McGee both looked a little stunned.

"Erm…" Gibbs wondered what exactly to say. "The charming young woman who just stormed out in search of our resident forensics expert is…well, she's my daughter."

"Daughter?" Kate gasped.

"I thought I just said that," Gibbs said to Tony.

"You know Boss," Tony smirked, but it was devoid of his usual humour. "I heard it too. We might wanna check out what she said about getting a call telling her. What we got?"

And like that, they were off the subject of Kelly and back onto the case at hand. Sophia and Marko came in with a progress update from the FBI side of the group. No-one had anything much. Tony brought his hand sharply down on the desk, growling in frustration. He let his head fall to the desk and started to bang it slowly against it as if that would bring the answers. Gibbs walked across to him and put his hand between the desk and his Senior Field Agent's head.

"Tony," he said quietly, ignoring the rest of the team. "You need to relax, we both know that you're not going to be helping anyone in your current state. Please, relax."

Tony straightened and rubbed his forehead. "I'll try, but you're asking the near impossible."

After that he returned his attention to his computer and started typing. As much as he tried to not show it, Tony was actually rather good with computers, and right then, Gibbs had a feeling what he was doing was important so let it slide that he'd just started to ignore him. It was nearly eight in the evening before anyone noticed that they hadn't eaten. A fifth desk had been dragged into the bullpen along with two more chairs and Sophia and Marko had been working on it, heads bent over laptops. McGee and Kate went and got food. Tony refused to eat, and Gibbs threatened to have Marko hold him to his chair and force feed him. It worked. Tony managed two pitiful slices of pizza before he gave up and returned his attention to something no-one else could understand. Well, Marko could, but he'd passed the Italian letter on to Tony, knowing that otherwise the other man would go crazy out of lack of things to do. Kelly had left, not long after arriving.

Slowly things started to wind down, the other teams left, and no-one really noticed when Tony absently greeted the night security guard by name. Even the few times they'd worked into the night they'd never really noticed his name. They all subconsciously put it down to a quirk of Tony's nature. They took it in turns to catch quick snippets of sleep to keep themselves awake and alert. The only two people who didn't sleep were Gibbs and Tony, both of whom looked like they could use it, Tony especially. Neither however commented on the other not sleeping. Both knew that the other could go for ages without anything more than catnaps which both were experts in taking. Tony could even do so with his eyes open, and had done on several occasions. Right now though, sleep was the furthest thing from his mind. If he slept he'd dream. If he dreamt he'd have nightmares. If he had nightmares, he'd be unfocused. And if he became unfocused…the results didn't bare thinking about. He needed his focus right now, and couldn't risk sleeping pills. He'd tried them, they'd knock him out for too long. Or he'd end up OD-ing by accident in his current state.

Gibbs finally gave up, unable to concentrate and retreated to the morgue where he knew Ducky would lend him the couch in his office. The NCIS medical examiner was still working and probably would be for a while. He gave Tony a glance as he passed. The younger man seemed absorbed in whatever he was doing and Gibbs knew better than to disturb Tony's peculiar genius when it was at work. Kate had taken Abby's offer of the futon up wholeheartedly and Sophia the couch in Abby's office. McGee and Marko were both asleep on their desks, snoring peacefully. He didn't wake them, they were all exhausted from working over twenty two hours straight.

Tony cracked his neck and found himself in a bullpen devoid of any awake being. He blinked at his watch. It was three in the morning. How on earth had time gone that fast? He blinked again. Then he decided to shake McGee awake and get him to hack into Dinozzo Empires computer network. McGee woke up and saw the time.

"How long have I been out?" he asked curiously.

"Two hours," Tony replied, as usual his observant nature not failing him. "I need you to hack into the Dinozzo's computer network; can you do it from here?"

"I think so…" McGee said slightly uncertainly. "I'll try, am I looking for anything in particular?"

"No, just whatever might help us nail him and find Luce and Mari."

With that Tony went to visit Abby. He found her in the lab and she immediately hugged him, scolding him for not sleeping, before telling him that she understood why not.

"I just can't," he told her breathing in her scent, even though she understood. "If I sleep, I'll break, if I break, I'll fall, and if I fall…I don't know what will happen."

Abby just wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tighter.

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Next chap will be up fairly soon I reckon. (As in, within the next five to ten minutes) Please review!!


	10. Chapter 9

Here's the second chap I promised you all seeing as I hadn't updated in an age...

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Marissa woke suddenly to find that Lucia had fallen asleep against the wall, cradling her in her arms. Her older sister looked so strange asleep, out of her element. Vulnerable even. It was such a change from the usual sarcastically confident woman Marissa was used to seeing everyday. A voice interrupted her musings.

"Strange…"

Her head snapped round to see a man standing not far from her.

"You idolize her?" he asked. Marissa kept her mouth shut. The man laughed. "Don't you know who I am?"

"No…" Marissa spoke softly.

"I'm your father."

"Well _Dad_," she laced her words with poison. "I wish I'd never met you."

"Don't be so harsh."

"I agree with her," unknown to either of the other two Lucia had awakened. Now her emerald green eyes where hard and unrelenting. "I wish I'd never met you. If I'd never met you, maybe I wouldn't feel so crap right now."

"Swearing in front of your…"

"Don't say it, don't even dare."

"But Luce…"

"Don't Luce me!" Lucia carefully disentangled herself from Marissa, got to her feet and faced down Anthony Dinozzo Senior. "You never earned the right to call me that!" Her infamous temper was flaring again. She knew it. She knew he was baiting her. "You don't deserve to call yourself Marissa's father. You're nothing more than a cheap sorry excuse for a human being who takes pleasure in abusing little kids."

"I suggest you hold your tongue Lucia, you seem to have not got it into your head that I hold all the cards here."

_Except one,_ thought Lucia, keeping her face blank. _I have people looking for me, and I had something you'll never have. I have a loving family who care about me._

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Once again, please review!! It takes a few seconds…or more if you really want to!! (Of course, I'm pretty bad for reviewing stories, so you could just do what I do and not review, but that's not nice, and I'm really trying to stop doing that…)


	11. Chapter 10

I'm feeling nice, so here's some more:

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_It was dark. Tony held Mari close, rocking her, hoping to not wake the young child. Their father was in a drunken rage, and the twins had told him to hide. Luce had put Mari into his arms and asked him to look after her. After everything his older siblings had done for him it was the least he could do. He heard angry yells coming from the living room and held Mari closer trying to close her ears to the sound, desperately wishing he was deaf. He'd chosen Luce's room, knowing it was the last place anyone would look for him. Unfortunately, it was one of the closest to the main room._

_He heard the sound of someone gasping in pain and identified the person as his sister. He'd been hearing both twins gasp for so long that he could tell which was which without having to see them. He heard Rico's yells of anger, the Italian insults and curses slipping off his tongue like water. His father roared back, and then Luce's voice interrupted, trying to calm ruffled feathers, cool off her brother's temper. The twins' tempers were infamous. Right now though, Luce was trying to be level headed, to look after her siblings as she always did. Tony could picture her. Dark emerald eyes flashing and hard, like the gem itself, long black hair falling in messy curls around her neck, fists clenched at her sides. Suddenly, she screamed. Tony's heart almost stopped. Luce never screamed. Lucia Marie Dinozzo could keep silent like no other. There was a loud bang, and then silence. The silence was scarier than the sounds of his older siblings being harmed. _

_Some time later Luce burst into her room and ran directly for her en suite. Tony was concerned. Her eyes had passed straight over him unseeing. In the darkness, he'd been unable to be sure, but he thought she had something on her face. He heard her sobbing in the bathroom. Carefully, he set Mari down and knocked on the bathroom door. It swung open._

_Luce was at her sink desperately scrubbing at her face and hands. Tony put a hand on her shoulder. She burst into tears and buried her head in Tony's shoulder._

"_God Tone…" she sobbed into his shoulder, completely loosing control. "R-Rico, he's gone! He's…he's…" She couldn't finish her sentence. She didn't need to. Tony could see the colour of the water in the sink. It had a pinkish tinge to it. He held his sister until she pulled away. "Listen to me," she shook her head. "Babbling like a child, sleep here tonight Tone, you and Mari both. We're leaving just as soon as we can."_

_Tony now saw the state she was in. Blood covered her face arms and clothes. But he knew it wasn't hers. It looked like it had sprayed onto her, or in the case of her hands been from trying to stop blood flowing. That could only mean…Rico was…no! Rico couldn't be dead! Luce needed him like she needed to breath! They were twins! They kept each other sane…_

_The door burst open, Tony yelled in surprise, it was their father. Lucia curled in on herself, sobbing silently. The furious man raised a fist and…_

Tony sat up suddenly. He'd fallen asleep in Abby's lab chair.

"Idiot,"he berated himself. "You knew sleep wasn't a good idea. Idiot, idiot, IDIOT!"

He hadn't even realised his voice had been rising until Abby appeared in front of him. Her eyes were worried. Behind her, clustered at the door were Kate, Sophia and McGee. Gibbs was between Abby and the doorway.

"What?" he demanded harshly. "It's the bloody truth, I know you all think it."

He pushed past them all and when Marko who'd just been coming down into the lab tried to grasp his arm, he flinched back and took off at a sprint.

"Dinozzo!" Gibbs yelled, and when that failed fell back on slightly more underhanded tactics. "TONE!"

That brought Tony up short. Whenever anyone yelled that name at him he stopped. Too many years of being yelled at by 'Anthony' had made him stop whenever the nickname his family – adopted and blood – had given him. Too many times he remembered Lucia stopping when he or Rico called 'Luce'. The habit hadn't stopped. Gibbs jogged up to him and put his hands on his shoulders.

"What didn't you two tell me?" he asked softly. "What were you hiding all this time? What was it?"

Tony broke down at that point. He ignored the fact that Kate and McGee were there and clung onto Gibbs like a lifeline. Gibbs rocked him until he'd stopped crying. When it stopped however, Tony just wanted to shut his emotions down and get back to work. Gibbs wouldn't let him.

"Tell me, you seem so sure that your father won't have a problem killing Luce or Mari. Why not? Please, tell me."

Tony wouldn't look at him, and was eager to escape the lab. Gibbs sighed. He wasn't going to get anything out of him with the others present.

"Conference room, Tone. Now."

Tony followed him, head down, not meeting anyone's gaze as he passed them. He acknowledged Abby resting her hand briefly on his shoulder with a vague attempt at a smile. When the elevator started moving Gibbs pressed the emergency stop.

Tony sank to the floor. This was going to be hard to tell. After that night, neither he, nor Lucia had ever mentioned it. They'd never discussed it. Lucia because she'd been there. Him, because Lucia was the only person he would talk about it with and she didn't want to. He knew neither of them had ever gotten over Rico's death. They'd just started shutting down their emotions and locking away those parts that they didn't like. It had always worked before. To his surprise, Gibbs sat down next to him and wrapped a fatherly arm around his shoulder.

"You can tell me Tone," he told him gently. "I've always known there was something you two kept to yourselves that Mari never knew. I could see in the way Luce looked at you with sad eyes and randomly hugged you when you'd overshot the time we'd set and come home late. Never scolded you, just made sure you were alright. How you kept trying to figure something out, kept looking confused, when there was nothing to be confused about. Please, tell me what it is."

So Tony decided to tell him. He could trust Gibbs. With his life, with this. "He…he…it wasn't always just the three of us…" his voice was catching in his throat. "Luce…she…she had a tw…twin. Rico."

Gibbs didn't like the way this was going. But he didn't interrupt. Tony had an alarming tendency to clam up if he was interrupted.

"One night, it…it just got real bad. Luce gave me Mari, told me to…to hide and look after Mari. I didn't know what else to do…if I hadn't maybe…maybe…anyway, I don't know what happened. But Luce screamed…"

That startled Gibbs, Lucia had screamed? Lucia never screamed!

"I knew something was bad then. She never screamed. Ever, not even if someone was drawing a dagger slowly up her arm…"

_And I bet she had that done to her, _Gibbs thought darkly. He'd once seen the long white scar stretching up Lucia's arm, twisting around it that stood out against her tanned skin. She'd said she'd gotten it straying into the wrong area.

"But then there was a bang, and then everything went silent. I don't know how much time past, but Luce ran past me, I'd hidden in her room, and straight into her bathroom she didn't even see me… I went after her. She was covered in blood. As far as I could tell, none of it was hers. She…she told me that Rico…" Tony breath hitched and he had to pause before he could continue. "She told me that Rico was gone. That's when I realised what had happened. The bastard who had the nerve to call himself our father had shot her twin. You should've seen them Gibbs, they were totally in sync. One could drop something and the other would catch it…it was incredible. But, after that, _he _burst into Luce's room. I couldn't let him go after her, not in the state she was in, so I put myself between the two of them…lord…" Tony broke down again. Losing Rico had been the hardest thing he'd ever gone through, including being chained to a sociopath.

Gibbs wanted to punch something, but it was more important to keep Tony from completely breaking down. How could their own father have done that to them? He wasn't even sure that 'father' was the right word for Anthony Dinozzo Senior. It confused him now that the eldest child hadn't been called after his father, but that was a question for another time. Right now he had his distressed agent to deal with. _Agent? _His mind accused. _He's more than an agent to you, he's a son! Like Luce and Mari are daughters! Suck it up and tell him!_

"Tony…" he began, not sure how to say it. "Tony, I wish I could change what had happened to you. I love you three like I love Kelly. You're just like my own kids. I swear, we will do everything we can to get them back safely. I swear it on my own life!"

"Do you mean that?" Tony's voice was trembling. For a minute Gibbs was reminded of the untrusting boy he'd first met, the boy who still appeared every now and then when he was looking at a suspect.

"Yes Tony. I will never lie to you."

Tony looked up at him, eyes mistrusting, but there was something else there as well. Gibbs was hit with a strong sense of déjà vu of the first time he'd said that to Tony. Both Tony and Lucia had unusual eyes, emerald, but they changed swiftly. Gibbs put his hands on Tony's shoulders.

"You know I wouldn't."

Tony nodded slowly. "Yeah, I know, there's just too many years…"

"Come on, let's get you to Ducky," Gibbs started the lift moving again and helped Tony back to his feet. When they reached the morgue Ducky met them. He took one look at Tony, gave a slight sigh and took over from Gibbs.

"I'll be back later Tony," Gibbs told the younger man, then he turned to the ME. "Look after him Duck."

"Always," the older man nodded. With that Gibbs turned and made his way back upstairs.

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I love reviews!!


	12. Chapter 11

Yay

Yay! I remembered to update!! I'm happy now, I feel good about myself!! Bit of a longer chapter with our two trapped girls, although, it's mainly Luce thinking/remembering…

italics flashbacks

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Lucia woke with a start, biting back the scream that was on her lips. She closed her eyes in an attempt to banish the dream. She remembered a trick Jay had taught her. Breath deep, think of something happy, blot out the nightmare with it. She remembered exactly when he'd told her that.

_Lucia woke up with a start, her breathing rapid, barely managing to halt the scream on her lips. With a sigh she stood up and crossed to the kitchen. For nearly three months she and her siblings had been living with the ex-Gunnery Sergeant Leroy Jethro Gibbs. She put the kettle on, checking the time on the cooker. It was three in the morning. She hadn't managed a full night's sleep since they left. A noise behind her made her drop the mug she'd been getting down, looking round sharply as said mug smashed on the ground._

"_Bad dreams?" their host asked her._

"_Did I wake you up?" Lucia asked worriedly, neatly picking up the shards of ceramic without cutting herself._

"_No, I was already awake, come with me."_

_Lucia frowned, but got rid of the broken mug and followed him. Down in the basement there was a boat. She looked at Gibbs._

"_You're building a boat?" she asked nonplussed._

"_Yeah, you know how to sail?"_

"_Of course, spent one of the best summers of my life sailing."_

"_Really?"_

"_Yeah, me, R- me and Tone went out to Long Island Sound and spent two months sailing around."_

"_Proper sailing? Or motorboat?"_

"_Both. Mainly a yacht."_

"_You know how to build one?"_

"_No. Never really tried. Never really thought about trying."_

_Gibbs stepped up behind her, she tensed slightly, but relaxed when all he did was take her hands in his, putting a sander into them. _

"_Here," he carefully showed her how to sand down what he'd already built._

_She was quick to build up a smooth rhythm. Gibbs watched her as he worked on the next part._

"_Bad dreams often?" he asked her gently._

"_Quite," she replied not looking at him._

"_How bad?"_

"_I generally wake up thinking I'm back there…Bite off the scream and then…realise where I am. Go get coffee and stay awake for the rest of the night."_

"_That's not good for you, you know." _

"_And it's good for you?"_

"_Excuse me?"_

"_You did say I didn't wake you up."_

"_I tell you what, we avoid that subject and I tell you how to forget bad dreams."_

"_Deal. Now how do I?"_

"_Good memories. Got any?"_

"_A few."_

"_Take it, blank out what the dream was about, focus everything on that one memory."_

_Lucia finally looked at him. "I'll try it sometime Jay."_

"_Jay? Where did Jay come from?"_

"_Not a clue, it just sorta…materialised."_

"_I like it kid."_

_Lucia put her head back and gave him a radiant smile. "Good, cause you just got stuck with it."_

"_Wouldn't have it any other way," Gibbs told her. "Now did you mention something about coffee?"_

"_I did."_

_They walked back up the stairs to get coffee._

Lucia found tears sliding down her face at that memory. That had been the first of many nights where neither could sleep and they'd ended up down in the basement drinking coffee, working on the boat in silence, or talking as they did so. Mari was looking across at her.

"You alright Luce?" Mari asked her quietly. Lucia bit her lip. Maybe it was time to come clean…maybe it was time to stop hiding.

"Mari," she said very seriously. "I've got something to tell you."

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And bam! We're done! Please review! Hope you enjoyed…until next time folks salutes


	13. Chapter 12

Ok folks, back to Gibbs and the team…just to see how they're getting on. Slight crossover with some of the info from CSI:NY due to the fact that they have a least one mob family that we know of, and hence, the easiest thing for me to do was nick the name…blink and you'll miss it.

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When Gibbs returned to the bullpen he was met with a barrage of questions. He held up his hands.

"Be quiet!" he barked. "Tony's a little shaken that's all. Now, we have to find the girls. What's everyone got?"

"Not a lot," Sophia sighed as she dropped a file on her desk. "FBI sent over a file on someone they think was trailing Luce. However, it was only a 'think'. They weren't sure. Dante Sassone. Why the hell he's in DC is anyone's guess. He's a small time mobster in NY. Connections to the major mob families down there."

"Contact NY, get anything on him you," Gibbs ordered. Sophia nodded and started work. "McGee."

"There's very little on the Dinozzo company network. There is a few rather incriminating mentions of ships leaving ports with supposedly half cargoes."

Marko piped up. "Lucia planted a bug in the mainframe, you should be able to use that to gain further access."

"Good with computers?"

"No, just viruses."

"I'll have a look."

"Kate?" Gibbs looked at his other agent.

She frowned slightly. "From what I've been able to see and information I've been given, I'd say Anthony Dinozzo Senior has anger management issues, a drinking problem and is a bit of a control freak."

"Tell me something I didn't know."

"He has close ties to the Messer-Sassone family in New York and it is possible that he uses them and the gangs as runners."

"Alright…"

Just then Gibbs's phone went off. He picked it up.

"Gibbs."

"It's Abby, I have something I think you'll want to look at."

"Excuse me?"

"I don't want to say it over the phone, just come down, and don't bring anyone else. Not even Tony."

"Abs, what's going on?"

"Just come down and see me. You'll understand when you've had a look at this I promise."

"Seriously Abby, what is going on?"

"Come on!!" Abby was getting frustrated and upset. "You never ask these questions!! Will you just come down? You _need _to see this! Don't bring anyone else. Trust me."

Gibbs hung up the phone and looked at the working agents around him. If Abby was getting frustrated and upset like that something big had to have happened. He started walking towards the elevator.

"Boss?" McGee had looked up from what he was doing.

"Yes McGee?" Gibbs turned slightly.

"Erm…nothing."

McGee ducked his head and went back to work. Gibbs smiled to himself. The kid still hadn't got the guts up to ask whether Gibbs himself was alright, even though he was obviously dying to do so. Gibbs let it slide and headed down to Abby's lab. Their forensics expert was bouncing around nervously when he joined her. She looked at him.

"You're not going to like this," she told him. Gibbs put an arm around her shoulder.

"Abs, just show me," he ordered gently, giving her a direction to go in.

She picked up a print out and handed it to him. He looked blankly at it.

"What does this even mean?"

"It's a DNA comparison on the blood that was found in Luce and Mari's flat. There's three different individual's blood in that apartment. One is definitely Luce's. The other is male and parental, the third I think is Mari's. But look at how many alleles Mari and Luce have in common."

Gibbs looked at her. "That's impossible."

Abby shook her head. "Forensics _don't lie_ Bossman. DNA _can't_ be faked."

"How sure about this are you?"

"One hundred, they sent me the results and I asked if I could redo the test."

"This is…I didn't think…"

"Does Tony know?"

"I really don't know."

"How do you tell him something like this?"

"I wish I knew Abs…I don't even know if we should tell him."

"If he doesn't know we should…shouldn't we?"

"And hurt him even further? He's already…worried, we shouldn't worry him any further. Tony has too much to deal with."

"I still can't help but wonder if we _should _tell Tone."

"Tell me what?" Tony asked as he walked in with Ducky.

Abby and Gibbs looked at each other.

"Nothing," Abby grinned brightly. A little bit too brightly.

"Don't lie to me Abs," Tony appealed to her. "Please. Not now."

Abby looked at Gibbs. Gibbs looked at Tony.

"Tony," Gibbs wanted to prepare the younger man for this in someway. Although he was fairly certain that there was no possible way to do that in this case. "These are the blood comparison results."

Tony took them when they were offered. He looked at them and went sheet white. "No way, this is impossible."

Ducky looked at the sheet Tony was holding in trembling hands. "Oh my…this is…?"

Abby nodded. Ducky and Gibbs shared a grim look as Tony sat down heavily.

"No…" he whispered. "This is just…no." He shook his head violently. Abby put her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder.

"She never…" she murmured.

Tony was shaking now. This was just too much, after everything that had happened. Ducky put a hand on his shoulder.

"Why don't we go back downstairs?" the Englishman asked gently before leading Tony away. Abby let go reluctantly and then attached herself to Gibbs.

"Promise me we'll kill him," she begged. "Promise me he won't get away with this one!"

"He won't Abs," Gibbs promised kissing her forehead. "I swear that to you."

He hugged her for a while longer before returning to the bullpen.

"What did Abby want?" Kate asked.

"It's not important," Gibbs told her. "She just needed someone to talk to. She's stressed."

"Is she alright now?"

"As alright as anyone can be when her best friend is missing. Back to work."

Gibbs wondered whether or not he should tell the team, but figured that Tony would tell them if he wanted them to know. For now, it wasn't really important to the case.

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Done and done, for now. Please review...i really do appreciate it!!


	14. Chapter 13

_A/N: Alright, this is the last post you'll have of this until sometime after t 11th of July (yippee holiday!!) well...you might get another chap today, but the basic just is that after this (and possibly the next chap) I'm not going to be here to update it for a while. Enjoy._

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Lucia looked down at her knees as she drew them up to her chest. Why was it so hard to say?

_Just tell her the truth!_ Lucia's mind ordered her. _She's got a right to know! Why aren't you telling her already?_

The answer to that one was simple. Lucia was scared, more than scared, terrified. This wasn't a situation she'd ever intended being in – but then again, whoever intended to get kidnapped by their sadistic father? It wasn't exactly something that most people had to contend with during their everyday lives.

"It's complicated," she told Mari softly. "It's…it's…I'm not _exactly_ your sister."

"What do you mean?" Mari asked confused and sounding more than a little scared at the prospect of not being related to the only family she'd ever known. "You're not related to me? Tonio's not my brother?"

"Nothing quite that drastic, we're related, just, not…exactly just as sisters."

"Luce…you're scaring me…"

"Sorry Mari, it's just…hard. Rico and Tonio were away out somewhere, I'd agreed to cover for them. Mom was ill, like she had been for years. Em…I don't really remember much of that night…You're my…oh, why is this so hard to bloody say?!"

Lucia looked up at the dark ceiling tracing the imperfections in it, trying to avoid the subject. Marissa saw straight through her. She'd always been proud that her younger siblings could read her, cut straight through the crap that she'd try to bluff them with so as not to worry them. Some things were easier to hide than others, but right now, Lucia's defences were at an all time low.

"Luce?" she prompted. "What are you trying to say?"

"Oh heck," Lucia broke down letting herself cry properly, not unconsciously as had happened so often recently, but consciously, she didn't even try to stop the tears. "Mari…it's…well…hard…"

Lucia couldn't believe it. She was stammering in front of her little girl. She kicked herself mentally and straightened slightly. _And you say you have guts? TELL HER!!_

"This is going to be hard for you to understand Mari. I'm your mother."

_I love reviews!!_


	15. Chapter 14

Yes! I am still alive and here is the next instalment. (Finally! I've been back for nearly 4 weeks and this is the first time I'm posting…oops!)

Just a small Tony/Ducky moment with Ducky trying to keep Tony calm and keep his mind off developments. Hope you enjoy…

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Tony was curled up on the sofa in Ducky's office, knees up to chest, head buried in his knees crying softly. Ducky watched him from the door. He knew something of Tony's past. The young man sometimes needed a person to talk to. Ducky had been more than happy to provide that ear, he knew most of what Gibbs knew and a few facts that he was sure Gibbs hadn't a clue of – if not for the fact that Tony had sworn him to secrecy, he would've told Gibbs by now. As it was, he wouldn't betray the younger man's confidence. Ducky moved forwards and placed a hand on Tony's shoulder. When the young Italian looked up Ducky offered him the cup of camomile tea.

"It'll help soothe your nerves," Ducky stated.

"Thanks Duck," Tony hiccupped taking the cup. He took a long drink and gave a vague smile. "It's good."

"I seem to remember the first time I made camomile tea for you young man," Ducky took a seat next to Tony, a pensive look on his face. "Let me see…it was not long after Lucia had joined the FBI, she was undercover. Jethro had invited me over for dinner and you were there with Marissa. You were going out of your mind worrying. Jethro had his hands full with Kelly and Marissa and you were standing over the oven cooking dinner, but not really concentrating. Jethro introduced us and then went off to see if he could calm the girls down. You kept muttering to yourself that Lucia would be fine, you weren't convincing yourself. So I put the kettle on. I seem to remember you jumping when you heard the doors on the cupboards opening. I found camomile tea and made you a cup. You looked at me as if I were mad Anthony."

Tony gave a slight chuckle. "You were to me, here I was, out of my mind with worry about my big sis and this old dude I didn't know was offering me a cup of camomile tea."

"I do seem to remember you then made some comment on completely ignoring Jethro when he'd introduced us."

"I had, I'd been focusing on dinner, and trying not to panic. You reintroduced yourself and I took the camomile tea before asking if you liked James Bond."

Ducky smiled fondly at the memory. That had been the start of many a long and intellectual discussion on who the best Bond was and which was the best novel – they both agreed after going to see the last one that Sean Connery was the best Bond (despite the Scottish accent, both agreed that Bond was English through and through) and newest Casino Royal the best movie, the novel was still in debate. Tony took another sip of the tea.

"Seriously," he said after a few moments consideration. "You need to tell me how to brew this. It's just what I need after a long day at work and all I have in my apartment in the hot drinks department is coffee and hot chocolate."

Ducky nodded. He knew that the best thing to do right now was to help Tony forget the case they were working until he could better deal with what they'd just found out. He needed time to process it and get his brain into a gear that could deal with what was being thrown at him. "Indeed, I was also appalled at your lack of anything remotely resembling nutrition in your refrigerator last time I was over for tea."

"So was I Duck."

It was a little known fact about Tony that fast food was _not _his favourite form of food, in fact, he was more than partial to home-cooked meals. He was a rather good cook and he loved cooking for people – in fact 'family' meals often consisted of him chasing Gibbs out of the kitchen with a knife to stop him cooking (all in jest of course).

"Duck," Tony's voice was almost hesitant.

"Yes Anthony my boy?" Ducky replied, shifting so that he could look at Tony properly.

"We will find them right? We are going to get them back? I couldn't lose them, not after losing Rico, not after all the crap I've been through. Not after all the crap we've been through together. I love them too much. They're my life."

"Anthony, Jethro won't let you down, nor shall we. We'll find them. And then we'll punish the man who _dares _to call himself your father."

Tony felt slightly better hearing the venom with which Ducky referred to his father as the ME went off on a long rant about men like Tony's father. He knew where he belonged. He belonged right where he was. This was part of his family, a large part. NCIS had grounded him, and there was an inexplicable bond between the team he was on. They were closer than a team. They were a family. It was what made them so good.

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Hope you enjoyed!! Little button down there next to 'Submit Review'. Please click it!!


	16. Chapter 15

_Hyper, hyper, hyper!! I've just turned 17!! (Happy Birthday to me!!) So here's a chapter to celebrate!! Hope you enjoy._

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Marissa just stared at Lucia for a long few minutes while she got her head around what the older woman had just said. Lucia was looking anywhere but her, she seemed more unsettled than Mari had ever seen her before. Luce was good at blanking off her face and keeping her emotions not only in check but hidden. Finally Mari felt ready to speak.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked softly. Luce's shoulders tensed.

"He made me swear not to," she replied, voice barely above a whisper. "You didn't know him back then. Jeez he still terrifies me now. Back then it was worse. I had none of the training I have now. I was…completely helpless. I'm sorry I didn't tell you once we were…I could never find the right time. I'm so sorry that I lied. Eighteen years I've been keeping that secret. Not even Tonio knew…"

Luce trailed off, eyes still anywhere but on Mari. Mari moved slightly closer. Her older sister was the calmest of the three of them. The strong shoulder, the one who Mari and Tony turned to when they needed to rant at someone. She was the one who sat, listened and then either gave good advice, or got 'blamed' (in a good sense) for the conclusions that were arrived at. She wasn't the one who broke down, Luce was the one who helped others get through their breakdown, however that was, by holding yelling matches with them, by letting them rant and rave, by taking them down to the gym and watching them beat the crap out of a punch bag – obviously wondering who'd gained their wrath – whatever worked and calmed them down.

"Who's Rico?" the question left Mari's lips before she considered the fact that Luce might have had a good reason for not telling her. That perhaps it was just too painful a subject.

Lucia's breath hitched. She hadn't even realised she'd mentioned Rico. She shouldn't have mentioned Rico. Mari hadn't known about him. Mari didn't _need_ to know about him. She'd never mentioned him before. She'd never been able to. It still hurt far too much. But maybe that was because she hadn't spoken about it. "Rico…Rico was my twin."

"What happened?" Mari wasn't sure she should ask, but felt she needed to know.

"Rico, he…he found out. Well, figured it out is more like it. I begged him not to say anything, and then…and then I got back late one night with you. _He _was furious, I gave you to Tony… Rico and the old man had a yelling match during which Rico brought you up, and the fact that he'd figured out that I was your mother, not mom. I tried to calm them both down, it didn't really work. Rico calmed down, but our 'father' was too drunk and angry to listen to me…." She looked away again, eyes closing against the memories, struggling to hold on, trying not to break down. "He grabbed a shot gun off the wall…everything after that is a blur…I can't remember much beyond that…just pressing my hands against Rico's chest, begging for him not to die on me. He didn't listen."

She was hugging herself, one of her hands rubbing her shoulder nervously. Tears were staining her face as she tried not to break down completely, as she struggled to stay strong.

"He didn't listen to me…"

It surprised Lucia when she felt Mari hug her, burying her head in her shoulder.

"I'm sorry Luce," she whispered.

"What could you have done Mari?" Lucia asked softly, one hand shifting to cradle her little girl's head, fingers combing through the younger woman's dark hair. "What could any of us have done? It's the past. That's where it should stay."

"But…"

"Mari, it'll just hurt. That's all it'll ever do bringing it up. I leave the past where it is. All that matters is the here, and now."

Mari wanted to say something else, but she couldn't figure out how to word the question. Clearly leaving the past where it was had turned her sister into this seemingly strong woman who was almost as fragile as glass. It scared Mari that someone who'd been a pillar in her life could be reduced to rubble so quickly.

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_And that's all folks!! Hope you enjoyed!!_


	17. Chapter 16

_A/N: I don't like the updated user pages!! Hate 'em! They're horrible!!_

_Alright, whining over:_

_**IMPORTANT: **I may not be able to update for a while due to constraints of school. I will try to keep updating, but having to write the chapters and do school work and upload may prove to much. If I don't update for ages PLEASE FORGIVE ME!! I will try and get back to it ASAP. Thank you, and please continue to enjoy:_

*bloody line tool isn't working!*

Kate was looking at a picture when Tony returned to the bullpen. It was the birthday party they'd thrown for Marissa and Kelly when they'd turned eighteen earlier that year. They'd been in the back garden and Gibbs had been about to take a picture when Tony had decided it was a good idea to start a water fight. Lucia was ducking away, eyes closed, hands up, obviously laughing. Kelly and Marissa had dived for cover behind Abby and Ducky, which only worked in Ducky's case as Kelly was slightly shorter than him, Marissa had taken after the family genes and was a few inches taller than Abby who wasn't wearing any shoes. Tony smiled and plucked the photo out of Kate's hands.

"I remember this," he said, more like his usual self than he had been of late. "That was a fun day."

"Tell that to the camera Dinozzo," Gibbs told him. "It barely survived."

"Bet your glad you went digital."

Kate had to smile at the exchange between the two of them which ended with Gibbs head-slapping Tony.

"Marissa looks a lot like Lucia," she commented, and frowned at the looks that passed over both Tony and Gibbs' faces.

"Where are the others?" Gibbs asked as Tony took a seat at his desk, a second cup of camomile tea in his hands.

"Sophia and McGee are out following a lead, Marko's getting lunch."

"Is it lunchtime already?" Tony asked, surprised.

He looked at his watch and sure enough, it was nearly one in the afternoon. He blinked. Kate was still frowning at him. Tony realised he should probably come clean about who Mari was in relation to Luce. He'd never really taken note of how much they looked alike, but then again, to him, they didn't really look the same, there were similarities, but not ones he considered major. He'd obviously spent too long with them, looking at them again now, he started to notice just how similar they looked. He put his head on his fist, staring at the photo, drinking his tea. A hand on his shoulder startled him, he looked up, to meet Gibbs' startling blue eyes.

"You alright?" his boss asked quietly.

"I feel like we should tell them," Tony whispered. "I don't want to, it's not my call to make, but they're my family…Like you, Mari, Luce, Kell, Duck, Abs. They're part of my family. They should-"

"We've got a new lead!" Sophia exclaimed as she and McGee burst into the bullpen. Startled, and already on edge, Tony rocketed to his feet and put his back to the wall.

Gibbs put a calming hand on his shoulder, he took a deep breath as McGee inserted a disc into his computer and brought it up on the screen. Marko – who Sophia had called – arrived minus the lunch he'd been supposed to be buying.

"What's going on?" he asked as McGee brought up the surveillance footage they'd got.

There on the screen was an image of Lucia, looking around, checking her surroundings. They played the footage and the saw her spin in the almost empty parking lot and attack a goon creeping up behind her from one of the car's onscreen head on. She caught him on the back of the knees and took him down hard, her gun coming out and pointing at the guy's head. Her lips moved, Tony narrowed his eyes.

"That's not much of a lead," Kate pointed out when it had finished.

"It is if we can figure out who the goon is, and get that car's plates," Sophia told Kate with a smirk. "If we can haul his ass in, we can get him to turn state's evidence and at least get a list of possible addresses out of him. After all. We can't very well go barging into Dinozzo Senior's mansion without probable cause. Any evidence would be overthrown. We need a warrant."

"Sophia's right," Marko agreed. "There's very little we can do without proper authorization. And it's not like any judges are going to be jumping for glee to try and take down one of the biggest business men in America."

"Well, there may be a few sympathetic to our cause, but none of them are going to like the idea, cause chances are he'll get off. A man like him can afford the best defence lawyers there are to offer."

"You know something guys," Tony rubbed his forehead as he sat back down, one elbow on his desk. "This isn't really helping us. All it is right now is hypothesising about what we could _possibly_ do, not talking about what we actually _can _do."

"You can stop taking this case," the voice of Tobias Fornell announced as he strode into the bullpen.

"Hell no," Sophia shot back, jabbing her finger at Fornell's chest. "Our case Fornell, not yours."

"Agent Taylor, this case has personal connotations for Dinutzo. I don't think it's a good idea for him to stay on it."

"Please explain your logic," Marko put in, glaring at Fornell. "Our logic says that Tony knows these people best."

"My logic says that this team is too close to both of the Sorrento's. Including you two."

"I'm not cutting out on Luce Fornell, none of us will."

"You're too close."

"Only person too close right now is you Tobias," Gibbs commented at the way Fornell and Marko were toe to toe, almost yelling at each other. "Back off."

Fornell stepped back and Marko's eyes narrowed before he stalked back to a desk and sat down, tapping on the keys of his laptop.

"You were out of line Mackenzie," Fornell stated, pointing at Marko.

"So tell my boss, all I care about right now is finding Luce. As will he."

"Marko," Tony said softly. Then he looked at Fornell, eyes flashing furiously. "Now here's the thing. If this was your sisters who'd been kidnapped and were no doubt being held by you _sadistic _father, what would you be doing in my position?"

"Letting someone else do the job," Fornell replied. "My judgement would be too clouded."

"Tobias," Gibbs growled before Tony could retort. "My office."

Tony slumped down in his chair as the two lead agents stalked into the elevator. No-one said anything, or even moved for the longest moment before Sophia jerked back into action, pulling out a phone and dialling out for pizzas.

"We all need to eat," she decided. "Then hopefully Gibbs and Fornell will have duked it out by the time we're finished, hopefully after that we'll be able to get on without other FBI teams on our back. Lord above I _hate _Fornell!"

_Once again, thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed, please review!!_

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	18. Chapter 17

_**A/N**__: I finally get around to updating! Alright…this chap has a few twists in it…hope you enjoy. Oh, and I don't think there's actually any even remote swearing in this…yikes…there is some Dutch though, although I'm not entirely sure of the translations…_

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The door banged open.

"Mr Dinozzo wants to see you," the man told Lucia.

"Am we permitted to get cleaned up first?" she demanded hotly, arm wrapped tight around Marissa's shoulders.

"He only wants to see you Ms Dinozzo."

Lucia kissed Marissa gently on the forehead. "I'll be back soon." She stood up and glared at the man. "If she is not in as good health and state as she is now, when I get back, you will pay. Now, I need to get cleaned up, and I need new clothes. I will not face him in a bloodstained shirt and jeans, with blood all over my face."

The man looked at her, stunned, but as directed, escorted her up to room where she could clean herself up. It hurt like a bugger when she cleared up the worst of her cuts, but thankfully, it was mostly just bruises. She searched through the wardrobe – more than aware of exactly which room she was in, and where – for something suitable. In the end, she settled for a set of smart trousers and a black polo-neck which covered the worst of the damage, her face was a different matter she realized morosely as she twisted her hair up into a clip.

She stepped out of the door to find she had an armed escort.

'_Very well,'_ she thought to herself. _'If this is the game you want to play __**father**__, you'll find I can play it too.'_

Straightening up, she brushed invisible dirt of her trousers and stalked ahead of the somewhat flummoxed guards towards her father's study. She half turned to see them still standing outside the door to the room she'd previously been occupying.

"Look lively," she drawled. "We can't let our standards slip now can we? I might escape."

That startled them into action, one either side of her. The bodyguard outside her father's door acknowledged her with a tiny wink, before turning and informing the man she hated that she was there. He gestured her inside.

"Veel Geluk," he whispered as she passed him.

"Dankje wel," she nodded, smiling ever so slightly, voice so low only he would be able to hear her.

Her father was sat behind his desk, drinking what looked like a whiskey.

"Bit early isn't it?" Lucia inquired tartly, making her way over to a seat and sitting into it. "Why don't you dismiss your tame apes and you and I can talk like…I'd say civilised people, but I wouldn't do you the injustice of lying like that. Neither of us is particularly civilised when facing each other."

"I truly see that time has not changed you one bit Lucia," her father told her, smiling falsely over his glass as he dismissed his goons. "Your tongue still holds it bite, and you still hate me."

"Anyone else in my position would. You beat me up nearly every day of my life, I escape after you kill my twin, and then, fifteen years later you're back, kidnapping me and my sister."

"Ah…still in denial about who Marissa really is?"

"She's my daughter, I know that. She's your daughter as well. Heck, we're one screwed up family. But you know something? Wouldn't change Marissa for the world. It's you I hate, not her. She's a complete innocent in this. She only knew me as her sister until you kidnapped us."

"There was a reason behind that."

"Oh? Really? And what under the sun was that?"

"Drink?"

"Not at midday thank you very much."

"Very well. I'm getting old Lucia. I need someone to take over the company."

"I don't see what this has to do with me. I have a myriad of cousins just asking for that 'honour'."

"But they're not you. And those brats are certainly not as good, or ruthless as you can be. I've been watching you for years now. You're very good at bargaining with criminals. You get the most out of them, while giving as little away as possible. You could bring great wealth to this business."

"I'm not interested," Lucia told him firmly.

"Maybe you'll change your mind. You do this for me, I do something for you."

"Reciprocity. What do you have that I could possibly want? Power? No thanks, I'm not that power-hungry, FBI does me fine. Wealth? Well, if I turn out like you and mother, I don't want that either. Success? Maybe you haven't noticed, I've got that one already. Man of my dreams? No thanks, not interested. My twin back? Not happening. You have nothing I want."

"What about Anthony and Marissa's lives? Would you do it for them?"

If Lucia had accepted the drink off her father, her glass would've smashed in that instant. Still she kept her face blank, waiting for her father to talk again.

"Not going to say anything? I wonder why not?"

"Alright, say I agree, I'd need something on good faith to show that you were going to leave them alone. What would you give me?"

"What would you want?"

"I'd want you to let Marissa go. She's a child for crying out loud!"

"And what assurance do I have, that if I let Marissa go, you'll keep up your end of the bargain?"

"Unlike you, I still have some honour left, I won't go back on my words. You let Marissa go, and I get assurance that she's safely back with Anthony, I'll stay, I'll even work for your company. If I do not get assurance, believe me, you better hope you've kept me down enough for me to not fight back."

Her father considered that for a moment. Then he nodded. "Very well. You shall have time to say goodbye to Marissa and you will be given assurance of her safe return."

He paused and Lucia internally sighed with relief that he hadn't called her bluff.

"You see Lucia, I can be reasonable."

"When it suites you," Lucia noticed, attempting to take some of the bite out of her response. Her father inclined his head, then pressed a button on his desk. The man guarding the door came in.

"Yes Mijnheer Dinozzo?" he inquired.

"Take Lucia back to Marissa and let them say goodbye. Then take Marissa to the NCIS building and there ensure that she is returned safely to her brother and get proof."

"Yes Mijnheer. This way Ms Dinozzo."

"Thank you," Lucia inclined her head. She followed the man back to where Marissa was being held.

The minute Lucia was through the door, she hugged Marissa tightly to her. "You're going to have to be brave Mari, for me, and for Tonio. Remember that I love you, and tell Tonio that he'll always have the summer when he was ten. OK?"

"But-" Marissa started.

"You're going, be brave. I love you."

"Miss Dinozzo?" the man behind them cleared his throat politely.

"Go on Mari, go back to Tonio. Tell I love him huh?"

"I will," Marissa promised, tears glistening in her eyes, but she didn't let them fall. Lucia touched her cheek fondly and then stepped away, letting Marissa leave.

When the door closed, Lucia let her own tears fall. "My brave little girl."

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_Veel__ geluk – Good Luck_

_dankje wel__– thanks_

_Mijnheer – sir_

_Corrections courtesy of __Comitissa, many thanks!_

_Oh, and for some reason unknown, when I was writing this, Lucia had a very posh English accent…goodness knows what came over me! Please R&R!!_


	19. Chapter 18

A/N: Will sort this out later, just a quick hey! Here you are... (Minor language warning)(With Marissa)

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Marissa sat in the car as she was driven, where, she wasn't sure, but she had her suspicions. Lucia had told her to tell Tony something – what was it again? – that suggested she was going back to NCIS. The man beside her hadn't said anything yet and they'd been driving for around twenty minutes. He glanced over at her.

"I am sorry," he told her quietly.

"For- For what?" Marissa asked, unsure what he meant.

"Everything. Mijnheer Dinozzo had no right to hold you like that. I should've spoken up."

"Um- Right. Where are you taking me?"

"Here."

The car stopped around the corner from the NCIS building.

"Go back to your brother, and please, get Ms Dinozzo away from there. I remember her from when she was younger. Her and her twin. They would provoke the master in order to protect the staff. They were good people. Your other brother too is a good man. A better man than I will ever be. Please, help her."

"I-I'll make sure someone does."

"Dankje wel," the man inclined his head. "I am in your debt. Go."

"How do I know no-one's going to-"

"Ms Dinozzo drives a very hard bargain. Unless she goes back on her word, you are safe. I will ensure that."

Marissa stared at him for a moment before nodding and climbing out of the car. Her legs felt weak as she walked across the plaza towards the building. The people out on lunch breaks stared at her and she realized her somewhat dishevelled state. Still in the same clothes she'd been wearing when they'd kidnapped her, with a cut on her forehead where they'd hit her to subdue her – Lucia, Tony and Uncle Jay had been insistent that she and Kelly have self-defence training their style. Hence, when she'd been attacked she'd managed to defend herself pretty efficiently. She stumbled towards the security desk.

"I'm- I'm looking for- for…" she started, but couldn't get the words out. Thankfully one of the security guards recognized her.

"I'll take you straight up sweetie," he told her, very gently steering her through the scanner, ignoring it when her belt set the alarm off.

He guided her towards the stairs and supported her up them. When they reached the floor that Tony and Uncle Jay worked on, Uncle Jay was just leaving the elevator with Fornell. Tony spotted her first and his face went sheet white, eyes widening.

"Tony," Sophia Taylor tried to get his attention, but he brushed her off, standing up and knocking past her to reach Marissa.

He caught her shoulder. "Mari-" he breathed, pulling her into a tight hug. "You're alright, where's Luce? No, no never mind that we need to get you to a hospital, have you checked over. We need to call Kelly-"

Tony continued to ramble until Gibbs put a hand on his shoulder. "Tony, let's get Mari to the hospital."

"No," Marissa interrupted. "Luce…Luce said…she'd said…summer, when you were ten Tonio. I-I didn't understand it. She…she said you'd always have it. That she loved you."

"Ten-" Tony said thoughtfully. "The summer we spent in Washington, right before I was packed off to Rhode Island…"

"Tony, Mari, hospital," Gibbs started to steer the two of them towards the elevator.

"But Jay-" Tony started, not realizing what he was calling his boss. "It's Luce…"

"We'll get her back, once Mari's been check over."

"But Jay-"

"End of conversation Tonio. Mari, how're you doing?"

"I-I feel weak," Mari whispered, leaning heavily against Uncle Jay's side, trying to keep herself upright. "Like-"

She didn't get to finish her sentence as Gibbs swept her up into his arms – not an easy task seeing as she was nearly the same height as him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into the crook of his neck. Tony was frantic beside them, torn between having Marissa checked over and getting Lucia back. Finally he went with the sister he could see in front of him.

"I'll take her," he told Gibbs as they reached the exit, and the ex-Marine very carefully deposited the now sleeping girl into Tony's arms. The Italian cradled her gently against his chest as they headed for Gibbs' car (parked in the coffee-shop car park).

* * *

(With bodyguard)

Across the street, the bodyguard charged with the safe-return of Marissa lifted his camera and took a few pictures of the three people heading for the coffee shop car park. That should be proof enough. He only hoped that Ms Dinozzo was not going to keep her word, she obviously hated her father's guts and that was never the best basis for a business partnership.

As he watched, he saw the grey-haired man (military bearing, ex-Marine possibly) very gently hand the clearly slumbering form of the younger Miss Dinozzo to the lean form of her brother. The tender way the two men handled the girl spoke volumes of the relationship they shared. It was clear that the military man was the 'Jethro Gibbs' that had helped the three siblings after they'd run away. He couldn't help but feel a small sense of pride for the young woman he'd been bodyguard for when she'd been in her early teens. She'd always been so strong, despite everything her 'father' put her through. Still, he couldn't defy Anthony Dinozzo Senior, the man was ruthless and wouldn't hesitate to kill him if he turned against him. When she'd become pregnant, he'd known, despite every attempt by her to deceive him and he'd protected her from every unwanted advance from people around her.

But now, she was a new woman, stronger, more ruthless, but at the same time, the compassionate protective woman he'd practically helped the cook and maids raise.

* * *

(With the others)

Tony was sat next to Marissa after the doctor had done a few tests. They were waiting for Gibbs to get back with Kelly who he'd called. The red-headed surrogate sister to Marissa and himself came through the door at a dead run and went to fling herself at Marissa, only to hesitate. Then, the other eighteen year-old wrapped her arms around the brunette girl, hugging her tightly.

"You're alright," she stated relieved. "You're alright."

"But Luce-" Marissa started.

"Hush, Dad and Uncle Tonio will get her, right now, you need to rest and get better. Think how pissed Aunt Luce'll be when we get her back and you're practically dead on your feet."

Tony and Gibbs felt pride swell in their chests as Kelly very gently urged Marissa to calm down, rocking her slightly and keeping up a soothing litany of words.

"Shall we get you two home?" Gibbs suggested.

"No," Tony shook his head. "We'll take them back to NCIS, Mari can crash on Abby's futon there, I don't want either of them out of a high security building."

Gibbs nodded, there was something Tony wasn't saying but it was probably something best left for when neither of the girls were around. "OK, let's get you two back to NCIS."

They headed for the doors, signing Marissa out and reaching the car. Gibbs frowned. The black SUV sat someway from them looked familiar – he was sure it had been following them, and it hadn't been there when they'd first pulled up. Was it possible that they were being tailed? Not for the first time, Gibbs wondered what kind of deal Lucia had struck with her 'father' to secure Marissa's release. He _knew_ Lucia would do just about anything short of murder in order to make sure her two younger siblings were safe.

When they reached NCIS Tony instantly shepherded Marissa and Kelly down to Abby's lab where they were greeted by the forensics specialist and ME who instantly went over to Marissa. Both greeted her with hugs before a surprisingly subdued Abby gently guided the young Italian over to her futon.

"Sleep," she ordered. "I'll be here watching over you."

"As will I," Ducky agreed. "Tony, I believe Jethro wants a proper word with you."

"Sleep well Mari," Tony kissed his little sister's forehead. "Stay with her Kell?"

"Yup," Kelly nodded, making herself comfortable beside her friend, pulling her into a loose hug.

Tony made his way back up to where the bullpen was in a riot.

"What do you mean 'he just let Mari go'," Sophia was yelling at Gibbs. "We _know_ this man! He wouldn't do that!"

"I'm more concerned about Luce," Marko put in. "Where the hell is she?"

Gibbs was rubbing his forehead, Fornell was leant against Tony's desk, sharing a look with Kate that spoke volumes. As the two FBI agents continued to put forward their arguments Tony rubbed his hands over his face.

"Luce bargained!" he called over the ruckus. Instantly Marko and Sophia went silent staring at Tony.

"Shit," Marko breathed. "What could he possibly want from her?"

"I don't know, but I do know one thing and that's Luce. And Luce won't hold to it once she's sure that Mari's back here, she'll find someway to squirm out of it. Even if it means her own death."

Kate frowned. "Do we have any idea where she is?"

"Yes."

"Tony?" Gibbs looked at his Senior Field Agent. "You know where Luce is?"

"Yes. The summer when I was ten, we were here in Washington, at the Dinozzo mansion. In fact, it was probably one of the best summers of our lives. Mom was in a good way that summer, our father was away on business and we just spent the entire holiday acting like children and their mother, not the trophies we were forced to act like when _he_ was around. It's one of the few times I ever remember my mom not being drunk, she was so fun that summer…"

"We need a search warrant."

"No judge will…" Fornell started.

"Marissa. A traumatised, injured teenager, who will swear to seeing her sister half-beaten towards death in a room of a house which my Senior Field Agent can verify, by word of his other sister's mouth is a house which he knows. I say I have probable cause for a warrant."

"Judge Leavens then. He's among those who will gladly help with bringing Dinozzo Senior down."

"Kate get on it."

"Yes boss."

"Dinozzo, I need everything you can remember about the house."

"Sure boss. Sophia, Marko, give me a hand."

"McGee, I want you to find a car for me."

"A car boss?"

"Yes McGee, that's what I said. I think me and Tony were tailed when we took Mari to the hospital."

"Right boss."


	20. Chapter 19

**A/N:** Bonjour! I am here! Erm...chapter 19.

If anyone could kindly translate into Italian: "You can't die on me my brother, my twin, you just can't! Please! I'm begging you" Thank you!

* * *

Lucia sat silently at the dressing table staring at herself in the mirror. There was a knock on the door.

"Enter," she called, turning slightly. The door opened and the man who had been her bodyguard. She smiled at him. "Is that dinner?"

"It is indeed Ms Dinozzo," he inclined his head. "Also, Mijnheer requested that I give you these."

He held out the photos. Lucia accepted them and looked at images. Jay, Tony and Marissa. She brushed her thumb over their faces, a sad smile tugging at her lips. "Dankje wel."

"I am to escort you down to dinner."

"Just one moment."

"Of course. I will be waiting out side."

Lucia inclined her head, still holding the photos in her hand. He left and she looked at them again. Jay was cradling Mari against his chest in one of them, and in the next Tony had her. She bit her lip slightly. They were her family. Tony and Mari, Jay and Kelly, Abby and Ducky. They were the only thing that mattered. Tony and Mari especially. She couldn't let them suffer and she couldn't lose them. Not after losing Rico. She _knew_ she wouldn't survive losing them as well. She rubbed her forehead before looking up into her emerald eyes.

"How _do_ you get yourself into these messes Luce?" she asked herself. "First there was the whole mess on the Marsden case, and then your boyfriend turns out psycho, and now, you've been kidnapped by your sadistic father who's forcing you into the family business. How do you get yourself into these messes?"

Her reflection blinked calmly at her, and no answer was forthcoming. With a sigh, she pulled her hair back into a bun. Her father had hinted that dinner was going to be quite a formal affair. Glancing down the elegant evening dress that had been handed to her along with make-up she scowled. The peremptory command to wear it had been left unspoken, but she knew it had been there. Rising to her feet she took a last look at herself in the mirror, decided she'd do and left the room. The bodyguard offered her his arm. With a tiny chuckle, she took it.

To her surprise, when they reached the dining room a stick thin bottle blonde woman with a fake tan at least five years Lucia's junior was already sat there with her father. Lucia took the seat set out for her at the far end of the table.

"Good evening," she smiled falsely.

"Lucia," her father inclined her head. "This is Arianne. She's agreed to marry me."

The blonde giggled in what she obviously thought was a charmingly coy manner. It put Lucia in mind of a little girl trying to act like an adult.

"You always did like younger women," she said it in a surprisingly nice voice. Just because the girl had agreed to marry her father, didn't mean she couldn't warn her off. "Perhaps we should get to know each other later."

"That would be fantastic," Arianne gushed before Anthony Dinozzo Senior could say anything.

The staff took that as their cue to start serving. Lucia was unsurprised by the fact that every single person she'd seen besides Dinozzo Senior and Arianne was a well muscled, armed man. Her father wouldn't be taking _any_ risks. It also made escaping a hell of a lot harder. Over the lentil soup that was served first Lucia exchanged thinly veiled insults with her father, a little perturbed by Arianne's lack of perception. When the lamb was served, thinly veiled insults changed to jibes aimed low – Lucia on her father's taste in women, his on her inability to protect her siblings. Dessert was tense as both of them smiled frostily at each other over their sorbet. Coffee was served and they adjourned to a living room just off the main office.

A man appeared in the doorway. "Excuse me Signor Dinozzo, there is a call from Italy waiting for you."

"I'll take it right away," Dinozzo Senior inclined his head. "You two try to get on in my absence."

"I'm sure we'll get on fine," Lucia drawled, sat in one of the deep armchairs sipping on her cappuccino – you couldn't beat proper Italian coffee made by proper Italians. With that her father was gone.

"So…" Arianne seemed unsure as to how to start the conversation.

"You and my father huh? How did you meet?"

Lucia was more than aware of the fact that the rough New Yorker's accent that she'd managed to practically destroy in herself was returning.

"I was at a charity event he attended," Arianne told her.

"Attending it?"

"No, waitressing."

"Ah…sounds like my father alright."

"He was so charming, he invited me to dinner, and it just sort of blossomed from there."

"He's old enough to be your father."

"I know, but-"

"Ah…I see. You love older men."

"Exactly. How about you? Are you married?"

"No, I hope to be soon though."

"Children?"

Lucia paused, debating the answer. "Yes, an eighteen year old daughter."

"Really? You hardly seem old enough."

"I'm not really, it's complicated."

"Really?"

"We're Catholic."

Arianne was thankfully smart enough to pick up on what that implied and that Lucia wasn't really willing to discuss the matter further. They sat talking about their lives until Dinozzo Senior returned.

"All sorted?" Lucia inquired.

"Indeed," he nodded. "Soon you'll be able to deal with those phone calls."

"I can already. With your permission, I'll retire."

"Of course, good night."

"Good night."

Lucia was escorted back up to her room where she traded her dress for soft linen shorts and a strap top. It amazed her that clothes she'd had fifteen years ago still fitted her. Then again, she'd not really put on too much weight and she'd worn clothing a size too large anyway. Curling up on the large double bed she stared at the ceiling, tracing patterns that no-one else would notice.

* * *

It was midnight when Lucia found herself waking up to lights flashing around her room. She frowned, sliding out of bed to head for the locked windows. She pulled one of the drapes aside and even across the distance of land the Dinozzo Mansion was situated in, she could see the squad cars surrounding the perimeter.

"Oh crap," she mumbled, hearing footsteps coming towards her room.

The door burst open, and instinct kicked in. Lucia whirled to one side, bringing her arms up as if to shoot, remembered she didn't have a gun and let her arms fall loose to her sides as her father stormed towards her. At the last instant before the fist came flying at her face Lucia remembered a dry comment from Tony about learning to duck.

"Bitch!" he roared. "You never intended to keep your side of the bargain!"

Lucia felt her back slamming into the wall and pain ricocheted up her spine. She hissed through her teeth, letting her eyes meet his. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about!"

"Those cops! You brought them here!"

"_How?_ Answer me that! How the hell could I bring them here? I've had no chance to use a phone and I am _not _telepathic!"

The backhand caught her head and snapped her head into a wall, the back of it colliding, her hands came up to clutch the back of her head in pain. A fist to her stomach made her double over, arms coming around her stomach. That was when she noticed the gun tucked into her father's belt. He pulled it out and grabbed her wrists, twisting them behind her back. She gave a strangled shriek as her already abused wrists were bruised further. He pushed her ahead of him as he headed for the doors.

"If I go down in this, you're going down too," he hissed in her ear.

"No," she whispered, struggling to free herself.

She didn't know why, but there was something about the man behind her that overpowered her strength and wiped her mind of her training. She was reduced to struggling like a…Well, like a normal person. She was forced out onto the lawn in front of the house. She could see figures coming towards her and some detached part of her mind asked whether she needed glasses as she didn't recognize them until they came closer.

"Let her go," the much welcome voice of Jethro Gibbs ordered.

She felt the gun press underneath her neck and she could identify the figures of Sophia Taylor, Marko Mackenzie, James Forster, Tobias Fornell and her brother, along with other members of her team and Tony's team. Part of her wanted to try and break free again, but she was exhausted, and she knew that the gun under her chin would go off before she could truly break free.

"You let me go, you get her," Anthony Dinozzo Senior yelled.

"Don't listen!" Lucia cried, managing to get some grip on herself. The gun barrel hit her jaw, snapping her head to one side, then the muzzle was back under her chin, digging painfully into the skin.

"Shut up."

"Let her go," Fornell repeated Jay's words. For once in her life Lucia was actually glad to see the FBI team leader that her team had a rivalry with. He was a solid man. He'd keep the others calm.

"No!"

"We've warned you!" a voice Lucia recognized as the voice of the SWAT captain who often ran with her team on missions. Another solid man to have with you in a fire fight, a good shot, and a better negotiator than most could've asked for. Something told Luce however that this time, he wouldn't be negotiating.

"I won't!"

* * *

Tony was getting desperate. His father was being stupid. He was threatening a much loved FBI agent with many people who would happily shoot him without provocation aiming guns straight at him. Admittedly he had Lucia between him and them, but still, at least two of the people there were people who could take the shot without injuring Lucia. But Lucia's words…she seemed almost desperate to die, but the eyes that were locked on him were alive, and scared. She was terrified.

"Luce," he whispered, hoping she could at least see what he was saying. "We'll get you out of there, I promise. You know we can. You know we can. Trust us, trust Jay, trust me. Trust Forster if you really must… But we _will_ get you out of there."

She blinked once, understanding flooding into her eyes. A very calm look came over her face as though she knew exactly what she had to do. The split second before she moved, Tony knew exactly what she was going to do.

"Luce no!" he practically screamed in the same instant that she threw herself to one side.

It was not enough to free herself, she must have known that when she acted, it wasn't even enough get her entire body out of the way with her arms twisted behind her back, but it _was_ enough to give Jay a clear shot. He took it, just as another shot was fired. Tony saw his father _and_ Lucia's body's jerk. The gun in his father's hands went off as a fourth shot sounded.

Time seemed to stand still as the two figures stood for a moment before both slumped to the ground. Tony couldn't move. All he could do was stand there numbly, staring at the form of Lucia on the ground, not wanting to go to her for fear of what he might find.

* * *

And Lucia is finally rescued!...Sort of...

* * *


	21. AN: Apology

Major, major apologies!

This is just a note to say that due to making myself ill with stress from my school work, I won't be updating until after the end of March. I promise that when I finally _do_ get round to updating these stories I will try and have an influx ready to clutter up all my kind watchers email boxes. Once again, I apologize for this, and hope you will be patient with me.

Zee


	22. Chapter 20

_A/N: Alright, this is the one and only author's note for the next three chapters so listen up! I'M BACK!!! I still have exams to get through, but hey, I can live with that one, all AH projects are IN!! (Just about.) And so, I will be updating...slightly more regularly than I have been for the past month. Thank you so much for your patience!_

_Warnings: Depressingness, probably some bad language at some point, possibly distressing scenes, and the most probably OOC bit at the bottom of the next chapter and mentions of child abuse I think in all three...I could be wrong._

_So...on with the show:_

* * *

The men who had clearly been bodyguards came out, throwing down various guns and other weapons. Tony recognized one, a man who'd acted like Lucia's shadow through most of her life as far as Tony could remember. As he came out, he saw Lucia's body, where Sophia had run, his eyes widening as he realized that the FBI agent on her knees was checking for a pulse.

'_What was the point?'_ Tony thought morosely. _'She's dead.'_

"I need a medic!" she called and abruptly Tony snapped into action, Jay at his side as they sprinted towards Lucia's prone form. Sophia was chewing her lip, struggling to stop the bleeding from Lucia's back, hip and neck. "Three GSWs, neck's just a graze, back and hip…the bullets are lodged, I don't know where."

"Luce," Tony whispered, one hand cradling her neck, gently applying pressure to the wound. Emerald green eyes cracked open slightly, full of pain, but alert.

"Tonio…" she managed, lifting one hand in an obviously painful way to touch his face. "Knew…" she paused, squeezing her eyes closed, struggling to draw in a breath. "Knew you'd…"

"Don't talk," Jay told her, taking her other hand, his other hand trying to stop the bleeding on her hip. "Save your strength."

"Jay…"

"Don't talk."

Sophia had shed her jacket and wadded it up underneath Lucia's back. She was holding it together remarkably well, calling orders out to people around her, snapping the agents into movement as James started organizing an en masse arrest of the bodyguards.

"Look at me," Jay was ordering Lucia, cradling her face in one hand. "You've got to stay awake. Come on. Stay awake. Think of Mari."

"Can't…" Lucia groaned. "Hurtsss…"

"Come on Luce. Stay awake."

"Luce…" Tony could feel tears streaming down his cheeks as he saw her eyes start to slip closed.

"Come on Luce!"

Her hand fell limp in Tony's grip. Tony's eyes widened, and he leant forward to try and wake his sister up, but then the EMTs arrived and Jay pulled him away to let them do their job. Sophia stayed where she was, briefing the EMTs on what she could tell them, before coming over to Tony and Jay.

"They're not sure she's going to make it," she whispered, voice starting to crack with tears, as she blinked furiously, eyes overly bright.

* * *

Kate didn't know what to do. The FBI had arrested, and were taking statements from the ten, fifteen bodyguards who'd given themselves up. One kept sliding into Dutch, shaking his head, eyes wide, face distraught. James Forster came over to her.

"Are you alright Agent Todd?" he asked, his voice tightly controlled.

"I-" she started. "I don't know what to do. I feel…"

"Lost? I know. Luce is one of mine, but I don't want to interrupt Tony and Agent Gibbs right now. Sophia can get away with it, her and Luce are good friends, Soph even get's dragged to the family barbeque."

"You're closer to Agent Sorrento than that."

"Well…yeah. We're trying to skirt round the fact that she's my subordinate. And the probability that Gibbs would kill me."

"Why?"

"He see's Luce and Mari as daughters, Tony as his son. I go anywhere near one of his 'girls', I'm fair game."

They watched at the EMTs lifted Lucia's body, heading for an ambulance.

"She better pull through. Death was too good for the bastard who did this."

"I know how you feel. Some of the things I've found from Tony's medical records while we've been investigating this. The scar tissue that has no injury in his file, breaks in his bones that there's no evidence of him ever receiving. It's horrific."

"And when you think that he got it easy. He had Luce looking after him. Luce…and her twin Rico."

"Her twin?"

"Oh…I'm sorry, I assumed you knew. Luce had a twin. He…he supposedly killed himself roughly fifteen years ago."

Tony and Gibbs hadn't gone with the ambulance. Tony looked wrecked. Sophia was trying to console him, with little success.

"Go on," James told her, very gently patting her shoulder. "You'll have more luck than Sophia. Sophia needs a chance to break down, she won't take that with Tony around."

Kate looked at him. "What?"

"Go on. You want to. Gibbs'll let you. It's just me dating Luce he'd have a problem with. Go on."

James pushed her towards Gibbs and Tony, hoping she'd do what she wanted to do. Kate walked towards Tony and Sophia. She touched the FBI agent's shoulder. The other woman smiled sadly at her.

"Maybe you'll have more luck," she murmured as she stepped away. "He's blaming himself."

"Hey Tony," Kate put one hand on his shoulder, touching her fingertips to his cheek. "You alright?"

"No," Tony admitted, sinking to the ground. Kate sat down next to him, waiting for him to talk. He rubbed his hands over his face. "They don't know if Luce's going to make it. Bullets to the back, hip, graze to the neck, one barely missed the carotid artery. And…and if I'd been a little faster, if I'd thought of this sooner…"

"Tony," Kate interrupted his self-hating tirade, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "This is _not_ your fault. She'll pull through. You know it, I know it. Gibbs knows it, Agent Forster knows it, hell, everyone knows it."

"What am I going to do if I lose her?"

"You're not going to lose her Tony. Come on, I think Gibbs wants to get us, or at least you to the hospital. And right now, I'm not letting you out of my sight."

"Kate?"

"Come on. Let's go get you other sister, Kelly and get to the hospital."

Kate stood up and offered Tony her hand. He took it, and got to his feet. Gibbs came over to them.

"Abby and Ducky are driving the girls over. Come on. They'll meet us at the hospital."

Kate could tell that Gibbs was barely hanging on to his own composure and promptly grabbed the keys.

"You're in no state to drive boss," she told him, and surprisingly, he didn't argue. "We're heading McGee, meet us at the hospital!"

"Will do Kate!" McGee called back.

* * *

Marissa met Tony with a huge hug, burying her face into his shoulder.

"Tell me she's going to be alright!" she begged him. "Tell me Luce'll wake up, and tell me that she's fine and just needs a few days to recover. Please Tonio!"

Tony didn't say anything, just wrapped his arms around her and buried his face into her hair.

"Why aren't you telling me it's going to be alright Tony? Why aren't you-?"

Tony hugged her tighter, tears now visible on his face as he struggled not to break down properly. "Because I won't lie to you Mari. I promised you that once, and I stand by that promise now. I don't know if Luce is going to be alright. I'm sorry."

Marissa burst into tears at that point and Tony steered the two of them to a seat, pulling Marissa into his laps and rocking her against his body, crying himself. Gibbs went over and wrapped his arms around both of the siblings, Kelly joining him, leaving Kate to stand next to Abby unsure of what to do. Abby was hovering, clearly wanting to go to Tony, but not sure if she'd be welcomed. In the end, Abby hugged Kate, burying her face into the taller woman's shoulders.

"It's killing them this wait," she stated. "It's killing me."

"Come on Abs," Kate pulled her towards a seat of her own. "Sit down, take a deep breath. She'll make it."

"How do you know that?"

"From what I've heard, she'd a damn strong woman. She'll make it."

* * *

It was hours later before the doctor came out. Kelly was curled up against her father's side, apparently asleep, Marissa was still in Tony's lap, and the older sibling was murmuring to her in Italian. Ducky (who had returned a while ago with little news) was sat, trying to involve himself in a crossword. James, Sophia and Marko who'd turned up shortly after Kate, Gibbs and Tony were sat slightly apart, Sophia held in Marko's arms, face in his shoulder, her own form shaking as she struggled to keep her sobs suppressed. The doctor looked as exhausted as they all felt.

"Are you here for Ms…Agent Sorrento?" he asked them wearily. Everyone was instantly alert.

"Yes," Gibbs stated, rising to his feet.

"What's the prognosis?" Ducky asked quietly, well aware that chances were it wasn't good.

The doctor sighed. "It's like this…"

* * *

_As I said, the only A/N for the next three/two chapters is at the top of the page. And this is the only one of these for the next three chapters_

_PLEASE REVIEW!!! (And thanks again for your patience and lack of yelling that I need to hurry up and get this posted!!)_


	23. Chapter 21

"_What's the prognosis?" Ducky asked quietly, well aware that chances were it wasn't good._

_The doctor sighed. "It's like this…"_

"The bullets that lodged themselves in Agent Sorrento's body. One hit her lung, it was partially collapsed by the time they got her here. We've managed to return semi-normal breathing to her, although she does need assistance. The bullet that hit her hip shattered the joint. We can't repair it. It will need to be replaced, and we can't do that until Agent Sorrento has healed further. What's more, after the operation, Agent Sorrento fell into a coma. We assume that the stress on her body due to both those and older injuries took it's toll."

Kate saw Marissa's hand tighten on Tony's shirt, her face once again buried in his shoulder.

"I am very sorry. We don't know if she'll pull through. However, there is one good sign, and that is that there is plenty of brain activity despite the coma, it suggests that she is still very much alive, wherever her mind has taken her."

"Doc…" Tony started, not really wanting to ask the question, but knowing that he had to. He _had_ to know. "What're the chances of her waking up?"

"At this point in time, it's hard to say. But I'm sure you're all aware that the longer she remains in this coma, the less chance she has of pulling out to it. You may see her, but please keep the number of people in the room down. While she is not conscious, that does not mean that her senses aren't picking up on the noise that will be in the room."

"Alright Doc," Gibbs nodded. "Thanks."

"If you need anything, just get one of the nurses to give me a call."

* * *

Kate watched from outside the window as the three FBI agents entered the room Lucia was lying in. Kelly, Marissa, Tony and Gibbs had already been in, then Ducky had announced that they all needed to eat and herded them down to the canteen. It had been heartbreaking to watch Kelly and Marissa both look at the prone form of the woman who'd devoted so much of her time to them, even after she'd got such a time consuming job, tears falling freely down their cheeks. Tony and Gibbs had held it together only slightly better than the girls. Abby had looked in to murmur a few words and then followed the others down to the canteen. As Kate watched, Sophia touched Lucia's hand and said something, before turning and leaving. Marko smiled sadly at Lucia murmured something before quickly hurrying to catch up with his friend, supporting her when her legs gave way and she slumped down the wall to cry into his shoulder.

James Forster stood at Lucia's bedside, before pulling up a chair and sitting in it. Kate moved to the door, curiosity overcoming good manners.

"You know something Luce," James said, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it. "I had plans for us. You and me, a house, a dog maybe, perhaps kids. I love you. That's all I can really think to say apart from this: Come back to us Lucia. We'll all miss you if you don't. Do you really want to leave Tony and Mari on their own? And what about me? What'll I do without you?"

He shook his head, holding her hand to his cheek.

"You've just got to make it Luce. I don't see any other option for you."

Kate stepped back, deciding to leave him in peace to talk. McGee was walking towards her.

"Where's Abs?" he asked.

"Canteen," Kate replied. "Does it seem odd to you?"

"Does what seem odd to me?"

"The fact that we've known Gibbs and Tony all this time, and never once have we pegged that they have a relationship outside of work. I thought I was more observant than that."

"They were good at hiding it Kate. They didn't want us to know."

Kate sighed. "Tony's taking this really hard."

"What would you be doing if it was your sister in there?"

"I guess you have a good point."

* * *

Tony stared into the cup of coffee that had been placed in front of him, along with something that may once have been a salad. He played with the salad with his fork. Beside him Marissa was obediently eating, but from the nauseous look on her face, chances were, she'd give up soon. Kelly was eating better than them, but she still wasn't happy about it. Gibbs wasn't eating, he was sat opposite Tony, next to Kelly drinking a cup of coffee. The unusually subdued Abby was sat on Tony's other side, one hand rubbing soothing circles on his shoulders, the other occupied by a cup of hot chocolate. Ducky was somewhere or other, not near them, doubtless calling his mother's 'sitter to make sure it was alright to stay at the hospital a while longer.

They were sat in silence, the only sound their breathing, and even that was muted. None of them could think of anything to say that wouldn't sound stupid in the given situation, that wouldn't make the other's break down. None of them wanted to lie and say that they completely, utterly and truly believed that Lucia would pull through, because niggling at the back of all their minds was that tiny doubt, that feeling that they may have lost her.

For Tony, who's already lost Rico to his father, it was a thought that was slowly breaking him, he didn't know how he'd cope without Lucia. She knew how to cheer him up when he was having a particularly bad day. He had absolutely no doubt that he would _find_ a way to cope, but the plain, simple fact of the matter was this: he didn't _want_ to have to find that way to cope. For some reason, it would feel like he was betraying her.

For Marissa it was losing the only mother-figure she'd ever had in her life. Lucia had always been there when she'd needed to be comforted. The eldest Dinozzo sibling had been a fount of wise advice and gentle reassurances. She'd offered tips on everything from studying to boyfriends, and had always made sure that Marissa was safe and well cared for before she even considered her own self.

For Kelly it was like losing a sister, and mother-figure combined into one. Despite the fact that her father had remarried after her mother's death, it was still Lucia who had been the one who took her to school when he was working, picked her up afterwards, and taught her to play poker when her dad wasn't looking. Lucia was the one who'd listened to her rant when she'd hated her new step-mother.

For Abby it was losing an older sister. Lucia had always been a laugh when she'd been around, but at the same time serious and conscious of where everyone she cared about was, and whether they were happy or upset. Any number of occasions out clubbing, Lucia had chased off freaky guys who were hitting on Abby.

For Gibbs it was an amalgamation of losing a daughter, and losing Shannon all over again. While he had never been romantically attracted to Lucia, she'd reminded him of his first wife a lot. Her mannerisms seemed very similar in some regards, her compassion, her friendliness, her gentle nature, and the way she cared for the two younger girls and Tony. She'd mothered them all impartially, growing up as a cross between their sister and their mother and endearing herself to Gibbs because of that.

Lucia had meant so much to them as a family, she was a confidant to more than one of them, and a close friend to all, not just a sibling or daughter. She looked out for them when they needed it, and they all knew that if they needed it, her home was open to them.

The one thing that annoyed them all about Lucia was her inability to admit when _she_ had a problem. Normally for that to happen, they practically had to sit on her and force it out of her before it got to far – the case of the psycho boyfriend proof of that one, she'd had her suspicions, but never gone to anyone about them.

"What're we going to do if she doesn't make it?" Tony asked finally, his voice lost, broken.

"Find some way to carry on," Gibbs replied, reaching out for Marissa and Kelly's hands with one hand, Tony and Abby's with the other. "She wouldn't want us to stop living just because she wasn't there anymore."

"Uncle Jay-" Marissa started. "Um…I- Tell me she's going to be alright. Just for once. Please"

Gibbs sighed and tightened his grip on her hand gently. "She'll be fine. It's Luce."

None of them believed him, not even Marissa, although she desperately wanted to.


	24. Chapter 22Interlude

Lucia opened her eyes. It was bright, overly so, the colours contrasting sharply with one another. The smell of fresh air and smoke filled the air, the taste on her tongue tantalizing. The rough metal swing chain underneath her hand grounded her. The sounds of the chain creaking as she swung drew her attention to the fact that it was the only sound. She looked around.

Beside her a young man with green eyes similar to her own was swinging.

"Hey," he muttered roughly, in a voice she knew all too well. The roughness from smoking too much, the underlying warmth.

"Rico?" Lucia couldn't quite believe her ears and eyes. She shook her head. "Alright, I'm dreaming."

"Why?"

"Let's see. You're dead, I'm alive…or I was last time I checked. The last thing I remember is…is…"

She frowned. She couldn't get a clear thought into her head. She grasped her head with her hands, running her fingers back through her long hair. She sat like that for a moment before leaning down, and resting her hand on her forehead.

"This is so screwed. I don't know what this is. Or even what I'm doing. What am I doing?"

"Dying," the person she thought was Rico stated frankly. "Or at least, trying your hardest to."

"What?"

"A bullet to your chest, another to your hip, a third hit your neck, barely missing the arteries."

"You're my conscience. Should've guessed. Knew it was too good for you to be alive again."

"Maybe. But can't you just enjoy me being here?"

"I don't know… It just seems too odd. So bizarre. I can't believe… Rico, you always _knew_ I was a sceptic. I can't just believe something, I just can't. I need evidence, complete, irrefutable, evidence that I can see, test, prove. I don't just accept. Perhaps it's a flaw in my character…I don't know."

"I know plenty of people who would disagree with that. Tony, Jay, Mari, Abby, Ducky to name a few."

"You know something, I can't stop it, I get myself into these things. And I don't know how I do it. I just manage it."

"Well don't look at me, I'm just the same as you."

"So," Lucia pushed herself on the swing gently pushing herself into the air. "What do we do now?"

The man beside her smirked. "We look at your memories, see what you know that you've never realized."

The scene dissolved.

* * *

Lucia found herself sat in a tree in a park, staring at the scene before her. She could see herself and Rico as children, Tony nearby, playing. She knew the scene. She'd been thirteen, Tony had been ten. It was the summer she'd reminded Tony of in the hope that he'd get her out. On a bench nearby sat their mother. Sliding out of the branches she was perched in, she walked towards the scene.

Their mother had been a beautiful woman before she'd started drinking really heavily and gotten ill. Her long hair was a glossy chestnut brown, her eyes emerald green, like Lucia's, her skin tanned, her figure hourglass and perfect, her hands long and elegant. Sat there, on the bench, smiling as her children played, Lucia could see why so many men had fallen over themselves to compliment her, and dance with her at the parties Lucia had been dragged to. The beautiful Italian woman had one arm resting along the back of the bench.

To one side of her, just behind her stood two bodyguards. One was the Dutch man who'd been Lucia's shadow for years and had wished her luck just before her meeting with her father…just…when was it? The other was another Italian, a harder man, sterner, and her mother's bodyguard rather than Lucia's, but still fun at times. For some reason, their father had only seen fit to give Lucia a bodyguard out of his children – something to do with her being a girl she assumed, not that it did her much good. Either way, the two bodyguards watched, then their heads turned, as one to look back towards the path.

"Senora Dinozzo," the Italian spoke up. "We have to leave."

"Of course," her mother nodded, her accented voice lilting. "Lucia, Rico, Anthony, come on we have to go."

Immediately the three of them had run to her side. Lucia chuckled bitterly. Never once did she remember disobeying her mother. Her father she'd defied as often as she could, despite what it meant, but her mother, her beautiful, kind, loving mother, who would never harm them when she was in complete control, never once did Lucia even consider disobeying her.

"Regrets Luce?" Rico's voice made her turn her head. He was stood there, a tab hanging from his lips, one hand in his pocket, the other drifting up to take the tab.

"What are you?" Lucia asked dryly. "My shaman guide?"

"Something like that yeah."

"Yes, I have regrets. I keep seeing her you know, every day, coming towards me, day after day, or someone very similar, bumping into me, and asking if she knows me..."

"What do you say?"

Lucia smiled sadly, looking after the group leaving the park. "No, you don't know me at all."

"You do realize that what you've just said could suggest that you are mentally unstable don't you?"

"Yeah. I know. I'm not. It's not like…it's more like I'm…it's hard to explain. It all feels like a dream..."

"We've got to move on."

"What?"

The image in front of her dissolved.

* * *

"Tony?" Lucia heard her voice say as she found herself in a darkened hall, turning around to see a younger version of herself knocking on the door of what she deduced was her youngest brother's room. "Are you alright?"

"Go away Lucia!" a younger version of Tony's voice called.

"Anthony Michael Dinozzo, open this door right now young man."

"No!"

"Tonio…"

"Leave him be Luce," the younger version of Rico appeared from his own room. "He obviously doesn't want to talk to you."

"How can you stand there and say that Rico? We come home to find our father in a blind rage and our brother has locked himself in his room!"

"Luce…"

"Rico, I'm…I'm _worried_!" Tears were standing out in the young woman's eyes. "Please Tonio."

"No!" Tony's voice through the door was cracking, like he too was crying. Rico's eyes widened.

"Alright Luce," Rico placed his hand on the young Lucia's arm. "Let me." He stepped forward and knocked on the door. "Tonio, little man, what's up?"

"Go away Rico!"

"Come on Tonio, Luce's really worried. Please mate, just open the door and let us in."

"I-"

"Come on little man."

The door opened slightly, and the still small Tony peaked out. Lucia heard herself gasp as Rico's eyes went flat.

"What happened?" Rico demanded. Tony's eyes went scared and he went to close the door, her younger self stopped him, gently putting her fingers on his face as she bent down to inspect the blackening eye and the cut on his cheek.

"Oh baby!" she had pulled him into a hug, before glancing around the hall. "Rico, go get me the first aid kit and some ice."

Rico left, hearing the implicit: 'And for crying out loud calm down! You're scaring him!'

"Alright Tonio, you're going to have to trust me now, let me have a look at you."

The younger version of Tony stepped back letting Lucia into his room.

"Well?" the Rico beside her asked.

"Well what?" Lucia asked harshly, struggling to hold back her own tears.

"What does it feel like looking back at these times?"

"I feel guilty."

"Why?"

"Guilty that I didn't get us out sooner, before…before he killed you. Before he could hurt Tonio more. Before he could…"

"Still unable to admit it?"

"I know what he did to me! I just…I don't know. I've never really talked about it."

"Tony didn't know did he?"

"No."

"You've been lying to him?"

"No, she is his sister, just not…_just_ his sister."

"Come on, let's go."

* * *

"No," Lucia stated the moment she saw the scene. "I can't do this! I just can't!"

"Why not?" Rico asked her.

"I still have nightmares about this. Dreadful nightmares. I can't get the images out of my head."

"That's why you're here. Perhaps this is what you need to help you get over it."

"But…"

"Hey, neither of us has any control here. It's just what you seem to be concentrating on."

Lucia covered her face and tried not to look, but her eyes were drawn by force to the scene in front of her.

Tony and Rico had just run in. The younger version of herself was panicking, the three-year-old Marissa in her arms.

"Rico…" she started, took a deep breath and began again. "He's…he's furious."

Rico reached out and touched her cheek, a bruise was rising on it. "Are you alright?"

"Fine. Tony, take Mari, go hide."

"Luce…" Tony started.

"Please don't argue! Just, just go."

Tony hesitated for a moment before taking the toddler and heading away. Lucia winced when she heard her father yell for her. Rico took her hand comfortingly, both the one beside her, and the one she was watching.

"We do this together," he told her gently.

"Alright," the young Lucia nodded. They walked through into the main room. Their father was stood there, a glass of whiskey in one hand.

He saw Rico and sneered. "So my eldest son decides to grace us with his present."

"What's the problem?" Rico demanded.

"Rico…" the younger Lucia murmured, trying to restrain her brother's fiery temperament.

"Quiet Luce."

"Problem?" their father raised an eyebrow. "Problem? Only that my sons, and my _heir_ have been out gallivanting around God knows where!" His voice rose steadily as he spoke. "And I for one do not want them running around, doing goodness knows what, and getting into situations they can't handle!"

"We can handle them father."

"Can you now?"

"Rico," the young Lucia tried again. "Please…Father, don't…"

"Shut up," their father snapped, hand slapping her face before he retreated back towards the fire. A gasp was torn from Lucia's lips. "You can stay out of this young lady, you're in enough trouble as it is!"

Rico turned his head slightly as his twin flinched back, shoulders hunching over. He squeezed her hand. "What's she supposedly done this time? What has she ever done?"

"Watch your mouth young man!"

"No, not this time."

"Rico…" Lucia breathed.

"This time you're going to hear it. We were just kids the first time you beat the crap outta us! And you've done worse to Luce! What the hell have we done to deserve what you've done to us? Tell me that. Why do we deserve this?"

"I told you to watch your mouth," their father repeated. Rico barked out a laugh, his pitch rising steadily.

"And I said no. I know who Mari really is. And it's all your bloody fault! Why? That's all I want to know. Why do you do this?"

"How dare you talk to me like that?!" their father roared, his whiskey glass smashing into Rico's arm, blood sprang up. The young Lucia stepped in between the two men as they glared daggers at each other.

"Let's all just calm down," she tried to soothe ruffled feathers. "This really isn't…"

"What you gonna do old man?" Rico taunted. Lucia's eyes widened as she saw her father's reaction. His drunken mind too slurred to think of a suitable response, he grabbed the shotgun from the wall.

Both the young Lucia, and the older Lucia watching screamed, the younger backing away, looking for the protection of her brother. The elder screaming that she could do nothing, her hands coming up in a futile attempt to block what happened next from her hearing. It wasn't enough, the shotgun went off, tearing a hole in her twin's chest and Lucia collapsed to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks. The younger version of her had also collapsed to her knees, her hands automatically trying to staunch the blood flow.

"Don't you dare die on me Rico," she begged. "Non potete morire su me il mio fratello, il mio gemellato, voi appena non potete! Por favore! Sto elemosinandoli."

Lucia didn't need to see anymore, she knew what happened next. Her father kicked her, pointed the gun at her and she fled, like a coward, she did nothing but run. Worse yet, she pulled her father's wrath on Tony.

She felt a hand resting on her shoulder. She looked around at the apparition of Rico her mind had conjured up.

"I can't do this," she whispered to him. "I can't do it anymore. I…I just can't."

"You're stronger than you give yourself credit for," the figure told her.

"No, no I'm not. I…I'm not anywhere near as strong as I should be."

"Quit trying to fool yourself into believing something that's not true sweetie. Quit trying to run from the truth of your life."

"Oh just go away! Why won't you let me die in peace?"

"Because you don't want to die. Not really."

"Want a bet?"

"I'd win. Go back to your family, stay safe with them."

Lucia felt tears down her face as the image dissolved into darkness.

* * *

The darkness was endless, she felt herself spinning in the void.

She had a choice. She had to make it.

Light or dark. Life or death. Learning to accept, or accepting to die.

Lucia didn't know what to do anymore.

* * *

Non potete morire su me il mio fratello, il mio gemellato, voi appena non potete! Por favore! Sto elemosinandoli. = (or should =) You can't die on me my brother, my twin, you just can't! Please! I'm begging you

_I know I said the only author's note was back in chapter 20 but I lied. This is the second. If the translation above is not correct, someone please tell me._


End file.
